FORMER GCHQ man Colin Baker, of Mitchell Street, Wellington, who lost his job at the town police station following a drink-drive conviction, says his fortunes since the incident compare unfavourably to those of former Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan, who was effectively forced out of his role following a misconduct finding last autumn.

Mr Baker, 75, who was retired after ten years with the intelligence and security organisation and ten years in the medical branch of the Royal Navy, had been working as a cleaner at the police station when he was caught over the limit about two years ago and subsequently lost his job. He is still keen to work but has been unable to find another role.

Mr Baker said: “I wanted to retire and potter in a little job, which I did at the police station, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a welcome relief from what I used to do. I’m still actively looking for a position, even taking nuts from monkeys’ pooh – I would do that for £100 a week just for something to do. I’m a very active person.”

Mr Baker had been at an event at St John’s church hall in Wellington with his wife Joyce and says he drove after drinking three glasses of red wine. He said his wife had two hips replaced and struggled to walk very far, and would have found it difficult getting in and out of a taxi, so decided to drive the quarter mile home in his small car.

He said police pulled him over and he spent a night in a cell at Taunton police station. In court he was given a nine-month driving ban and £256 fine, and was told to attend an alcohol awareness course. He had to dispose of his car and only received the £75 scrap value for it.

Mr Gargan quit as chief constable in October – two months after Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said she was preparing to use new powers to call on him to resign. Now Mr Gargan has taken up a four-month job with G4S as a ‘programme director’ seven weeks after resigning from the police.

He was suspended in May 2014 amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff. The ensuing Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation found those allegations ‘unproven’ but separate data protection allegations emerged.

Last July, an independent QC-led panel found him guilty of eight charges of misconduct – largely relating to “inappropriate disclosure of information" by forwarding emails and "inappropriate use of police-issued iPhone" by storing "intimate" images and text messages.

Mr Baker added: “Mr Gargan got another job, I haven’t got one. I just can’t sit around twiddling my thumbs. It’s one rule for the rich and one rule for the poor – and unfortunately I’m poor.”