A senior police officer will be the subject of a misconduct hearing after allegedly throwing a stress ball at another officer's throat.

Essex Police's Deputy Chief Constable Matthew Horne has been accused of breaching multiple police standards and of swearing at a police officer, saying he needed to leave before he "punched something".

He was investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after concerns were raised in January and is on secondment as deputy general director at the National Crime Agency (NCA).

It is alleged Mr Horne approached Detective Chief Superintendent, formerly Superintendent, Glenn Maleary in June 2015 at a car park outside the Essex Police Force Control Room (FCR) in Chelmsford where he then angrily swore at him.

He is accused of standing with clenched fists, leaning in towards Mr Maleary and swearing at him during a confrontation about the FCR performance, before saying he "had to leave before [he] punched something."

The second allegation relates to an incident between October 16, 2015 and May 9, 2016 at an office at the Chief Executive’s House at Essex Police Headquarters with Chief Superintendent Carl O’Malley and Assistant Chief Constable Maurice Mason.

During a conversation about policing matters, and for no apparent reason, it is alleged Mr Horne pushed Mr O’Malley with two hands, causing him to fall onto a desk.

The third allegation relates to the same time period and location, where Mr Horne is accused of throwing a rubber stress ball at Mr O'Malley, which hit him in the throat and left a red mark.

The misconduct hearing will be chaired by Mr Lovell-Pank QC and held at Chelmsford Civic Centre between January 15 and 22.