A MARRIED chief inspector and female sergeant allegedly caught having sex on duty are set to face a misconduct hearing.

Sussex Police Chief Inspector Rob Leet, 44, is said to have met Sergeant Sarah Porter for a romp at least once in 2017, while they were working.

They are accused of travelling to meet up with no work-related reason to do so, and of using the cop system to chat.

Leet, a married dad-of-four was suspended from duty while the investigation continued, and has slammed the claims as unfounded.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation in March 2017, and has advised the force to schedule a misconduct hearing.

As part of the probe a victim of domestic violence came forward to allege Leet had sex with her in 2014 and 2016.

In another allegation Porter was unable to be contacted when a fatal crash happened while she was on duty and approached a witness in the IOPC investigation "inappropriately".

The IOPC said: "We concluded that if proven, the behaviour would be a breach of standards of authority, respect and courtesy and duties and responsibilities and could amount to gross misconduct.

"Sussex Police agreed and a hearing will be scheduled in due course."

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "Sussex Police can confirm that two officers who have been the subject of an independent investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct will now face a gross misconduct hearing at a date to be arranged."

They added the details would appear online, where the officers would be formally named.

SCANDALS WITHIN THE FORCE
The force has been embroiled in a string of sex scandals in recent years.

In October former Brighton-based police constable Alexander Walsh was handed a community order for stalking and common assault after unleashing a barrage of sexual propositions on a colleague when she was held in a patrol car with him for more than an hour after dark.

The former Metropolitan Police officer, who then joined the Sussex force, was spotted by fellow officers groping the woman on a work night out before badgering her with suggestive texts and taking pictures of her without her consent.

That same month prosecutors dropped a case against Brighton-based Inspector Tony Lumb, who faced allegations he had sex with women he met while on duty.

The former elected member of the local Police Federation branch's board was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, interviewed under caution, released on bail and suspended from the force pending an IOPC investigation.

The police watchdog said it found evidence to suggest a criminal offence may have been committed.

The CPS has been asked to review its charging decision after one of the complainants, 52-year-old online abuse campaigner Nicola Brookes, called the news "shocking".

Lumb could still face disciplinary proceedings.

In April a second police officer was caught selling himself for sex while on sick leave.

Detective Constable Richard Holder was sacked without notice for gross misconduct at a disciplinary hearing but had already resigned.