POLICE Commissioner Sue Mountstevens breached her own code of conduct by revealing the identity of a whistleblower, her own police and crime panel has concluded.

Ms Mountstevens had already apologised for telling Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan the name of a woman employee who had made a complaint against him.

But the panel was unhappy that she said they had found “that I had made a mistake” before they had concluded looking into the matter.

Mr Gargan was suspended shortly after his conversation with Ms Mounstevens in May after two women complained about his “inappropriate behaviour”, an allegation he has always denied.

He will find out next week whether any action is to be taken against him.

The panel has now issued its findings “as a matter of public interest” so as to clarify that Ms Mounstevens made “a serious error of judgement, as opposed to a ‘mistake’”.

Crime panel chairman Nigel Ashton said the whistleblower gave her “sensitive and personal information”.

He added: “In doing so the complainant had a reasonable expectation of privacy.

"The panel found the commissioner demonstrated a serious error of judgement, not only in revealing their identity but by doing so to the person at the centre of the allegations.

"We acknowledge the commissioner has publicly and privately apologised for her actions, though it is regrettable the commissioner chose to issue a public statement before the process concluded.

"In response, I must underline that we take this matter very seriously and consider her lapse in judgement to be serious."

Ms Mountstevens, who reported herself to the panel, last week told the County Gazette and someretcountygazette.co.uk/news that she had written to the whistleblower “to apologise for the distress I have caused”.

She admitted she could have handled the situation better.