Scotland Yard sack Johnson bodyguard over alleged affair

FORMER Home Secretary Alan Johnson’s ex-police bodyguard was sacked by Scotland Yard yesterday after an investigation into an alleged affair with the Yorkshire MP’s wife.

Close protection officer PC Paul Rice was dismissed without notice as police chiefs condemned him for damaging the reputation of the force.

Mr Johnson, the MP for West Hull and Hessle, quit as shadow chancellor as allegations surrounding the affair became public – forcing Labour leader Ed Miliband to reshuffle his top team less than four months into the job.

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Mr Rice, 45, is thought to have worked for Theresa May since she took over at the Home Office in May last year.

He lost his job at the conclusion of his misconduct hearing last night.

Sources have confirmed the hearing also heard evidence surrounding an alleged relationship with a 50-year-old woman in the politician’s constituency.

Commander Peter Spindler, who is in charge of the Directorate of Professional Standards, said: “The behaviour displayed by the officer was unacceptable and as such the board has rightly sanctioned him for the abuse of his position of trust.

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“He has damaged the reputation of the MPS and the specialist discipline in which he worked.” He added: “By doing so he breached the high professional standards expected by the public and his colleagues.”

Mr Johnson has refused to elaborate on the “personal reasons” for his resignation, saying only that he was finding it “difficult to cope” with “personal issues in my private life”.

He has been married to Laura, his second wife, for almost 20 years. The couple have a 10-year-old son.

He has been replaced as shadow chancellor by Morley and Outwood MP Ed Balls who was overlooked for the post last October after publicly disagreeing with Mr Miliband over economic policy during the Labour leadership campaign.