A police officer has been sacked after making up that he had been assaulted by a gang in a churchyard in Thanet.

PC Michael Tovell, who served in the police for 15 years, was dismissed without notice by Kent Police at a misconduct hearing.

Tovell, who is awaiting sentence after being found guilty preverting the course of justice, was branded "attention seeking" when he appeared at Canterbury Crown Court last month.

The officer fabricated a story that he was attacked with a baseball bat at St Laurence Church in Ramsgate in 2018.

A disciplinary panel chaired by Chief Constable Alan Pughsley considered PC Tovell's actions in reporting the attack by a group of unknown men.

But the hearing was told subsequent investigations raised questions about his account.

He was found guilty of gross misconduct at the session at Kent Police headquarters in Maidstone this morning.

The chief constable ruled PC Tovell had breached Kent Police standards of professional behaviour before dismissing him.

Supt John Phillips from Kent Police’s Professional Standards Department said: "A significant amount of resources and time were put into investigating PC Tovell’s allegation that he had been attacked.

"Initial inquiries, however, found no evidence to corroborate or support the allegation, and ultimately the weight of evidence suggested that the attack PC Tovell reported could not possibly have taken place as he reported.

"Kent Police expects the highest standards of its officers and staff, who are expected to serve with the utmost integrity and professionalism.

"Any employee whose behaviour falls below these standards will be subject to scrutiny."

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet