A police force has defended its decision to rescind a job offer to a former regional daily photographer over fears he could leak information to journalists.

Chris DeBretton-Gordon, who used to work for the Leicester Mercury, says he was verbally told he had been given a job working for Leicestershire Police as a police call handler last year.

However, after having his start date pushed back four times, he was eventually told he had failed the force’s vetting procedures.

The force has defended its decision on the grounds of “potential for leakage of information to the media”.

Chris, pictured, was made redundant by Mercury publisher Reach in 2023 and had disclosed his previous career at the start of the recruitment process.

The 58-year-old was initially told he had failed vetting in November and his subsequent appeal over the decision was rejected.

Speaking to HTFP, Chris said: “I think it is very telling that Leicestershire Police include notifiable associations as ‘criminals, people under investigation, barred former police officers and members of extremist organisations’… and journalists!

“I believe it’s time for the police to treat journalists fairly and not discriminate against them in this manner.”

Det Chief Insp Chris Gamble, of the force’s professional standards and vetting department, told the BBC vetting is only carried out “once a start date for training” was set and this was “unfortunately” put back in this case “due to force budget constraints”.

He added he understood the decision was “disappointing” for Chris, but claimed it was “no reflection on the integrity of the individual”.

He said: “Due to the nature and number of notifiable association relationships disclosed by the applicant, it was felt that the risk was too great to manage by the force.

“The force has to be alive to the many and varied risks associated with people entering the workforce, including where there is potential for leakage of information to the media.

“We have a duty to protect sensitive information about the many people and incidents we deal with every day. That is paramount, and I believe it’s what the public would expect of us.”