A police officer who tried to cover up a dead colleague’s affair to spare his family is facing a High Court bid to have him drummed out of the Dorset force.

While investigating the death of Detective Constable Ian Morton in a road smash, Sergeant Neil Salter, from Weymouth, uncovered evidence that he was having an affair with a female special constable from another force, the High Court in London heard.

Sgt Salter – who had 22 years’ experience in the police and was based in Dorchester – instructed a junior officer to ‘find and destroy’ DC Morton’s mobile phone, which he feared would contain compromising texts.

The junior officer reported the matter and, after an internal disciplinary inquiry, Sgt Salter – who fully admitted what was described as a “one-off aberration” – was “required to resign” by the Dorset Chief Constable in November 2009, Mr Justice Burnett heard.

The independent Police Appeals Tribunal (PAT) stepped in to save Sgt Salter’s career in July last year when it directed his reinstatement at the demoted rank of constable. But that decision is now being challenged by the Chief Constable, Martin Baker, at the High Court.

Attacking PAT’s decision as “irrational”, John Beggs QC, for the Chief Constable, said Sgt Salter had admitted “operational dishonesty”. He had tried to “suborn a junior officer” in “a deliberate and premeditated attempt to destroy evidence” in the midst of an investigation.

Due to his unblemished 22-year record of police service, Sgt Salter had been “allowed the dignity of resignation rather than being dismissed”, added the QC.

He said: “The Chief Constable does not want dishonest officers serving within his force because he must be able to trust his officers without question.”

However, Michael Ford, for Sgt Salter, said his motive ‘was to protect another officer’s family’ and he swiftly admitted ‘a one-off aberration in an otherwise unblemished career’.

He said that Sgt Salter had quickly apologised to other officers and the junior colleague he instructed to destroy the mobile phone had said Sgt Salter acted out of ‘misguided loyalty towards the family of DC Morton to protect them from further upset’.

Mr Justice Burnett has now reserved his decision on the Chief Constable’s appeal and will give his ruling at a later date.