Three Kent Police employees are being investigated over their 'professional behaviour' in relation to a suspicious death in Folkestone.

Steve Holton, 54, from Dover, died on August 19 last year in the town's harbour area.

Paramedics pronounced the Folkestone man dead at the scene by the harbour wall after a call at 2.24am.

It was reported last year that the police watchdog was called in after the incident to investigate the force's "call handling procedures prior to his death".

Kent Police referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), then called the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), on the same day as the incident.

It has now been confirmed that notices have been served on three workers in connection with the case.

A spokesman for the IOPC said: “The investigation is ongoing.

"Notices that standards of professional behaviour may have been breached have now been served on three Kent Police employees and they will be interviewed in due course.

“It should be noted that the serving of notices does not indicate guilt, or mean that misconduct proceedings will necessarily follow.”

The original referral is believed to relate to a call made to police in the aftermath of an incident which left Mr Holton, a grandfather, with serious injuries.

The IOPC still did not confirm reports suggesting Mr Holton called police himself 45 minutes before the police attended.

Seven people were arrested by Kent Police in connection with the incident, including a 28-year-old man was arrested and charged.

Gerald Philpott, of Dallas Brett Crescent, Folkestone, pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Steve Holton in January.

His three-day trial at Canterbury Crown Court has been scheduled for July 2 in front of Judge Heather Norton.

He was remanded on bail until his trial.