The new inspector at Maldon police station has become the victim of a cruel hoax

Just two weeks after he took over the reins at the town's station, Insp Kevin Jacobs has been branded "gay" in malicious posters put up around the town centre.

The photocopied A4 posters were glued to the fence around the busy White Horse car park at the weekend and were seen by hundreds of shoppers over the Easter period

They showed a picture of 43-year-old Insp Jacobs, with the message "Maldon welcomes new gay police inspector Kevin Jacobs" written underneath.

Insp Jacobs, who is married and lives with his wife and four children near Colchester, shrugged off the claims.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "He is not taking this seriously and he is not homosexual."

Insp Jacobs added: "It is obvious that someone's feathers have been ruffled and this is their way of retaliating.

"It doesn't bother me, but it is sad that this individual has tarnished Maldon's image as a nice community."

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