THE Chief Constable of North Yorkshire police, Grahame Maxwell, has been given a final written warning after admitting disreputable conduct, it has emerged today.

Yesterday, North Yorkshire's top officer, became the first chief constable in 30 years to face a gross misconduct hearing over allegations he tried to help a relative get a foot on the police career ladder in the first stages of a force-wide recruitment process.

It is understood he has admitted the charges.

Up to now, his force, his police authority and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) have all refused to give any details of what took place until the full process is completed - not even revealing where and when the hearing took place.

Channel 4 News last night reported Mr Maxwell has admitted disreputable conduct and would find out his fate today.

Mr Maxwell found himself facing disciplinary action following a huge recruitment exercise by North Yorkshire Police early last year.

The campaign hit the headlines when more than 200,000 people tried to get through to apply for 60 jobs, crashing the forces phone system at one point.

Many potential applicants complained they could not get through.

The chief constable was filmed during publicity for the recruitment drive manning the phone lines himself.

The accusations against Mr Maxwell centred on help he was alleged to have given to a relative to circumvent the calls log-jam.

North Yorkshire Police Authority said: "We have no comment except to say that arrangements for the hearing are legally and practically matters for the Police Authority.

"As a matter of law the hearing will be held in private. We are not releasing any information until after the hearing and that includes information about the date or venue of the private hearing."

North Yorkshire Police said it was a matter for the police authority. The IPCC said it would not make any comment about Mr Maxwell's case until the process was complete.

Mr Maxwell became North Yorkshire's chief constable in 2007, joining from South Yorkshire Police, where he was deputy.

His father was a village policeman in County Durham and he joined the neighbouring Cleveland force where he started as a PC in Middlesbrough and worked his way up to Chief Superintendent.

He was appointed Assistant Chief Constable with West Yorkshire Police in 2000 and joined the South Yorkshire force as deputy in 2005.

Mr Maxwell is married to Julie and they have one son, Frazer, and two Labrador dogs.

The chief was investigated in relation to the recruitment process along with his deputy, Adam Briggs, who retired earlier this year.

Last year, Mr Briggs said he had been cleared of acting dishonestly and seeking to gain an advantage for a relative.

But the officer said he had been told he should receive advice regarding his judgment in not challenging the Chief Constable in a particular way.

He said that as a result of that misconduct he would be given management advice.

The IPCC said at the time, full details of Mr Briggs' case could not be released until the end of Mr Maxwell's disciplinary process.

The last chief constable to be sacked is believed to have been Stanley Parr, the head of Lancashire Constabulary.

Mr Parr was dismissed in 1977 for abusing his position in relation to police vehicles.