Two ambulance service managers – one now a director of the Shropshire-based air ambulance service – used a health trust car to go on a “booze cruise” to France, a disciplinary panel has been told.

Paul Leaman, now a director of the Midlands Air Ambulance based at RAF Cosford, and Richard Lane had the Essex Ambulance Service crests removed from the vehicle and the back seats taken out to fit in more alcohol, it was claimed.

The trust then had to foot the bill for the alterations, the Health Professions Council (HPC) heard.

Representing the HPC, Vicky Lord said: “They were engaged in what appeared to be a vacation across to France to bring back quantities of alcohol into the country using a trust vehicle.”

Trust employee Paul Holmes noticed the bill and blew the whistle.

It is also claimed that Mr Lane and Mr Leaman colluded with a company called Alliance Trading and harassed other staff to use it as a supplier.

Mr Leaman was seconded to the County Air Ambulance as charity appeals director in 2008. The charity changed its name to Midlands Air Ambulance this month and is now run by the West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust.

Mr Leaman has previously been described by the trust as a “highly regarded manager”.

The financial allegations and booze cruise claims which were reported by Mr Holmes date back to 2001.

The HPC was told that he was bullied by Mr Lane and Mr Leaman and subjected to a disproportionate disciplinary procedure in 2005.

Mr Holmes told the hearing he took Essex Ambulance Service to an em- ployment tribunal over his treatment at the hands of Mr Leaman and Mr Lane, who no longer works for the trust. He also raised a grievance procedure with Essex Ambulance Service because no action was taken against the pair, and when that was unsuccessful he reported them to the HPC.

It is claimed that Mr Lane’s and Mr Leaman’s fitness to practise is impaired because they breached trust financial rules and misused a trust vehicle. The two former senior managers admit the facts of the charges but deny that their fitness to practise is impaired.

The hearing continues today.