A POLICEMAN who "bunked off" to go to horse race meeting was caught on camera celebrating a win on Channel 4.

But PC Jonathan Adams told a Gloucestershire Police misconduct hearing that working at Barton Street Police Station in Gloucester was 'absolute hell' and his method of dealing with the stress was to call in sick and go racing.

The 32-year-old officer, who lives in Ross-on-Wye, is alleged to have committed gross misconduct by 'throwing sickies' on three occasions in 2015 and 2016 and going to race meetings - twice to Nottingham and then to Royal Ascot, where he was shown on Channel 4 TV celebrating a win with fellow members of his racehorse owning syndicate.

But he denies misconduct and said that his posting to the Barton Street police station had led to him suffering migraines and irritable bowel syndrome.

PC Adams said: "I just dreaded going into the station, dreaded it. Everywhere was so busy, so noisy. I was frustrated I was not getting the help or support for what I was trying to do. I could also hear myself being belittled by colleagues.

"I didn't want to go back into that environment. It was toxic, absolutely toxic."

He said he did not want to go off on long term sick leave and let his colleagues down so on three occasions when he felt really low and unwell he decided to stay away and go to the races instead because it was therapeutic for him.

He said his symptoms were 'alleviated completely' by being at race meetings.

Subsequently, he said, he was transferred to Bearlands police station in Gloucester and said it was 'fantastic' because he was doing the community based work he wanted to do.

He said the effect on his health was instantaneous and since the move he had not felt it necessary to take time off work and go to the races.

PC Adams drove to Royal Ascot and to one of the Nottingham meetings.

Police lawyer Stephen Morley asked him "If you were well enough to get in your car, drive for a couple of hours to a race meeting, and then drive back again later with a cold and a headache and stomach pains weren't you well enough to go to work?"

Pc Adams replied "I just wanted to be in an environment where I could be happy. I needed to deal with my over-riding anxiousness and be in a better place. I had just had enough."

The hearing continues.