Police chief shortlist revealed

Sir Hugh Orde attended his final public Policing Board meeting on Thursday

The chief constables of four English regions are among five candidates shortlisted to succeed Sir Hugh Orde as PSNI chief constable.

The post, to be vacated by Sir Hugh later this year, attracts an annual salary of £183,954.

One of the five is Bangor man Jim Gamble who is chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).

Also in the running is Bernard Hogan-Howe, chief constable of Merseyside.

The remaining three candidates are Jon Stoddart, chief constable of Durham; Paul West, chief constable of West Mercia; and Matt Baggott, chief constable of Leicestershire.

Interviews for the top job in Northern Ireland policing are expected to take place in August.

The interviewing panel is to consist of Policing Board chairman Barry Gilligan, vice-chairman Brian Rea and MLAs Alex Maskey, Dolores Kelly, Ian Paisley Jr and Leslie Cree.

The final appointment will have to be approved by the Secretary of State.

On Thursday, Sir Hugh attended his final public Policing Board meeting.

It featured robust exchanges over the PSNI's use of Tasers, after charges were dismissed last Friday against the first man in Northern Ireland to have had one of the stun guns used on him.

Sinn Fein Policing Board member Gearoid O hEara said he believed the report of the Police Ombudsman into the incident would prove embarrassing for the service