STAND-IN Scots police chief Iain Livingstone says he believes he has the ability to do the job and is still considering whether to put himself in the frame.
The father-of-three, 51, has said he has still not ruled out taking over the role as Chief Constable at Police Scotland after Phil Gormley resigned in February.
He spoke as he was questioned during a BBC Scotland documentary last night about his own suitability, following 18-year-old allegations of sexual misconduct which he was cleared of.
Mr Livingstone was demoted from superintendent to constable after being suspended in the wake of sexual assault allegations against a woman police constable after a boozy social event at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan.
He admitted falling asleep in the woman’s room but he was reinstated to the role of superintendent in 2004, after John Vine, the Tayside Police chief constable, decided the original decision was harsh, oppressive, and disproportionate.
He replaced the demotion with the reduction of two salary increments.
Mr Livingstone said: "There was a set of circumstances in 2000 whereby at a social event at Tulliallan I had too much to drink, I fell asleep in the wrong place and that was wrong.
Iain Livingstone would have quit if Phil Gormley failed to resign
"I shouldn't have done that and clearly I accept that. I was suspended. I spent time off work. There was a hearing convened where I did accept I fell asleep, I was cleared of any sexual impropriety, I was cleared of any level of sexual intent and at that hearing I was demoted from superintendent to constable.
"I immediately appealed against that and was reinstated. I came back to work. I accepted that I had made a mistake. I accepted that I had learned from it and since that time I have continued to conduct my duties with absolute rigour and professionalism."
Mr Livingstone, who took control of the force when Mr Gormley went on “special leave” last September, said he thought he could discharge the responsibilities of the job of Chief Constable.
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He said: "One of my main strengths, I think, is an ability to work collectively and to work in a collegiate manner. I do think I could do the job. I just need to be quite clear in my own mind that that's what I want to do for the next three to five years."
Having been pipped to the top job by Mr Gormley, the former lawyer and footballer put off his retirement plan to bail out the crisis-hit force by becoming Acting Chief Constable.
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