A LONG-serving police chief has been sacked for his inappropriate behaviour while he cautioned a youth at a police station.

Inspector Gerry Hutchings made the boy strip below the waist in a bid to humiliate him.

The Daily Echo understands the juvenile then made an official complaint about his treatment by the officer, who has decades of service in the force.

The following day detectives from Hampshire's professional standards department visited Mr Hutchings at his workplace where he is believed to have been immediately arrested.

Following inquiries he was officially suspended from duty and later bailed to appear back before police at the end of this month.

Hampshire police would not reveal the nature of the investigation but the Daily Echo understands that the incident was not sexually motivated.

However, Mr Hutchings, 47, who was in charge of policing in the New Forest west area, was summoned to a meeting with Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan last week and dismissed from the force.

Mr Hutchings had 27 years' service in the constabulary, having worked in most areas of Hampshire. He had previously held positions in Totton, where he spent two years, and five in both Portsmouth and Basingstoke, where he was on promotion to sergeant.

In 1994 he moved to Havant and was appointed inspector, serving in Waterlooville, Winchester police headquarters, two years in Yateley and one year in Aldershot. He then moved to the New Forest where he was posted to Lymington, Ringwood and then Lyndhurst.

Born in Southampton where his father was an insurance manager, at the age of ten Mr Hutchings and his family emigrated to South Africa where he finished his education before working as a housemaster in children's homes.

Together with his family, he returned to the UK in the 1970s and Mr Hutchings joined Hampshire police.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire police said: "Hampshire Constabulary can confirm that a uniformed police inspector based at Lyndhurst was arrested, bailed and suspended on Wednesday, July 11. The action followed a complaint from a member of the public on Tuesday, July 10.

"He has been bailed pending further inquiries until the end of August.

"This case has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission."

The spokeswoman added that Mr Hutchings appeared before Mr Kernaghan on August 13 where he was dismissed with immediate effect during an internal disciplinary hearing.

A spokeswoman for the IPCC confirmed the case had been referred to them and it has now been passed back to Hampshire Constabulary's professional standards department because of the action that had already been taken against Mr Hutchings.