WILTSHIRE'S former chief constable evaded a disciplinary hearing over alleged misconduct by retiring early in June.

Mr Geenty, 58, and two officers were investigated following complaints about their handling of a 2008 probe into historic sex abuse claims.

Police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found Mr Geenty "had a case to answer for possible misconduct".

But only serving officers can face disciplinary action for misconduct and, legally, police commissioner Angus Macpherson was powerless to stop Mr Geenty from retiring early on June 28.

The two other officers involved are still serving and will both face a disciplinary hearing.

At the time, Mr Macpherson said: "It is not my intention to prevent Mr Geenty from retiring. There is no legal ground to do so, nor do I believe it is in the public interest to suspend him."

And on Friday he said: “I am advised that I no longer have any jurisdiction over him. I am therefore unable to take any further action in relation to Mr Geenty."

The commissioner told Mr Geenty he would have faced a disciplinary hearing if he had still been in the job.

But he added: "A 'case to answer' is not, of course, synonymous with him being guilty of the allegation."

Mr Macpherson said he had also written to the two complainants and called for an HMIC inspection to ensure lessons had been learned from the "regrettable case".

From December 1, 2013, to August 1, 2014, 144 officers resigned or retired while under investigation, preventing them from being held to account. The Home Office now say officers under investigation can only leave the force for medical reasons or in exceptional circumstances.

These rules aim to ensure that officers are held to account for their actions, that the truth can be established, that victims of police misconduct and their families are given justice and that the police learn the full lessons of each incidence of serious misconduct.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: “Direct damage has been done to public confidence by cases in which officers escaped justice by resigning or retiring where they might have been dismissed."

She added: “The ability of officers to avoid potential dismissal by resigning or retiring is an unacceptable situation."