Sussex Police Chief Constable Paul Whitehouse, condemned after the fatal shooting of an unarmed man, left the force yesterday insisting: "My conscience is clear."

As removal crews cleared his £400,000 Lewes house for his move to a new home in Shropshire, Mr Whitehouse defended his role following the police shooting of James Ashley in Hastings in 1998.

Dressed in a short-sleeve shirt and corduroy trousers, he said: "I did nothing wrong. No one is perfect but I did not behave improperly and I have never been dishonest.

"I am not bitter because my conscience is clear."

Mr Whitehouse criticised Home Secretary David Blunkett, whose fax to the Sussex Police Authority demanding it take action to restore public confidence, led to the Mr Whitehouse's early retirement.

Yesterday, Mr Whitehouse called Mr Blunkett "discourteous".

He said: "The Home Secretary became upset because officers involved in the operation were promoted soon after their suspensions were lifted.

"But they were due for promotion when they were suspended and it was only right and proper that their promotions should take effect.

"I have written to Mr Blunkett but he has not had the courtesy of replying."

Mr Whitehouse was also angry with the Kent Police inquiry into the operation, which led to criminal charges against officers involved. All were subsequently acquitted.

He called the inquiry "disgraceful" and insisted no evidence had been produced to back up criticism of the force and individuals concerned.

Mr Whitehouse has made an official complaint to Kent Police about the leaking of parts of its report to the Press, for the sake, he said, of all those who were investigated.

He said: "I do not let things like that get to me but it is the families who suffer when things are said about people which have no justification."

The inquiry criticised the operation for insufficient intelligence but Mr Whitehouse insisted the investigators apparently took little notice of a Sussex Police report which gave explicit details of Mr Ashley's suspected involvement in drugs.

Mr Whitehouse, whose last duty yesterday was planting a tree at police headquarters in Lewes, said he had received many messages of support, even from strangers in the street, and had mixed feelings about leaving.

He said he would miss friends, colleagues and the chance to finish his job at Sussex Police of which he said: "The shape of the building was complete but there was still work to do."

Mr Whitehouse said he had no plans to work full- time again but he would continue with his trusteeships on national and international bodies, including Victim Support, the National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders and the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.

Acting Chief Constable Maria Wallis is in charge of Sussex Police until a new chief constable is appointed. Twelve people have applied for the £105,000 job and interviews are expected to be held in November.