AVON and Somerset's police and crime commissioner has had a local MP calling for her resignation following her handling of disciplinary charges against the force's chief constable.

Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said Independent PCC Sue Mountstevens allowed the inquiry into the behaviour of Nick Gargan to descend into chaos and an undignified witch-hunt.

An independent body examining the case found Mr Gargan should be given eight written final warnings after being found guilty of eight misconduct charges.

Mrs Mountstevens says Mr Gargan has lost the confidence of the force and has proposed using her powers to ask him to resign or retire.

Mr Gargan has been suspended for 16 months after allegations of inappropriate conduct towards female staff. He is facing new demands for him to go but Mr Liddell-Grainger says it’s his boss who should be shown the door.

Now he plans to demand a full breakdown of the costs of investigation which, he says, are likely to be ‘eye-watering’.

“Mrs Mountstevens should have handled this matter rapidly and decisively. Instead she has been appallingly inept and allowed what should have been a straightforward internal investigation to develop into a very public, festering sore which is bringing discredit not only to Avon and Somerset police but to her own office, Mr Liddell-Grainger said.

“She cannot possibly be allowed to remain in the job after overseeing such a grubby episode."