Drink-drive shame of high-flying Shropshire police officer

A police detective who was once voted Shropshire's best cadet has been banned from driving for18 months after admitting drink-driving.

Detective Constable Nicola Renny, who is 28 and who passed her driving test in August 2002, is now facing a misconduct hearing.

Renny, who lives and works in the Telford area, admitted to a single charge of drink-driving in Ironbridge in May when she appeared at Hereford Magistrates Court last month.

Renny, a former student at New College in Wellington, had been training with the police cadets for two years before being accepted into the West Mercia constabulary in 2002.

In the same year she attended a national get-together for police cadets and was awarded the National Individual Merit Award for her work in the community.

Toby Shergold, spokes-man for West Mercia Police, said: "DC Nicola Renny appeared at Hereford Magistrates Court on June 13 where she pleaded guilty to a drink driving offence on May 16 in Ironbridge.

"She was banned by magistrates from driving for 18 months.

"DC Renny is not currently suspended but, as in all such matters, there is an ongoing misconduct process as a result of this incident."

Renny said she did not wish to comment on the ban, which will see her unable to drive until the end of 2013.

While working as a constable in 2006, she was commended by police chiefs for her bravery after the arrest of an armed man during a disturbance in Woodside, Telford.

She was confronted by a man brandishing a weapon who threatened to shoot her. The man was later arrested and an air rifle was found.

In 2004 she travelled to New York to represent West Mercia Police at a September 11 memorial event, joining thousands of other police officers at Ground Zero.

By Jason Lavan