A serving Cheshire police officer has appeared in court charged with taking a patrol car without consent.

PC Kevin Szabo, who serves with Cheshire Constabulary and lives in Prestatyn, allegedly took a patrol car without permission which eventually crashed at Winsford police HQ after hitting a gate.

He is accused of taking the vehicle from the Ellesmere Port police station where he is normally based.

PC Szabo was arrested and taken in for questioning on Wednesday.

This morning (Thursday, January 30) he appeared before magistrates in Crewe where he was released on bail after being charged with aggravated vehicle taking.

He is next due to appear at Chester Crown Court on May 29.

On Monday, the 39-year-old was believed to be at the centre of a six-hour stand-off in  Prestatyn.