British police chief under investigation for 'influencing inquiry into alleged sex attack'

A chief constable is under investigation for misconduct over claims he meddled in a police inquiry into an alleged sex attack.

Sussex Police Chief Constable Martin Richards has been reported to the police watchdog amid allegations of ‘undue influence’ in a criminal investigation into a sexual assault.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched a probe after the extraordinary claims were made last month by a member of his staff via an anonymous internal reporting system.

Details of the specific criminal case cannot be reported for legal reasons as it involves a serious sexual assault of a woman which has yet to come to trial.

There is no suggestion that the top policeman is implicated in any way in the case, but he is accused of interfering in the investigation led by his officers.

The officer, who is married with two sons and two stepsons, is one of the most senior officers in Britain. He is the chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers South East Region and the regional lead for Serious and Organised Crime.

Yesterday the IPCC said it was investigating an allegation of misconduct after Sussex Police Authority voluntarily referred the matter last month following consideration by its Professional Standards Committee. But Mr Richards has not been suspended and is continuing to carry out his duties.

In a letter to officers, Mr Richards said the allegation was made by an unidentified member of staff. He wrote: ‘Colleagues, last month the Sussex Police Authority voluntarily referred an allegation against me of misconduct to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.‘

They have launched an independent investigation and I have pledged to cooperate fully personally and to provide any support required from the force to help them establish the facts.

‘While the IPCC investigation is ongoing, my priority is to maintain business as usual and protect the service we provide to the public. ‘The delivery of normal business - including my responsibilities and those of my senior team - will continue as usual.’

The officer, who is regarded as an experienced chief and a ‘safe pair of hands’, is currently having to make £50million cuts, which means the force will have fewer frontline officers than any other police force in the country after scrapping 470 jobs by 2015.

Original report here




(And don't forget your ration of Wicked Thoughts for today. Now hosted on Wordpress. If you cannot access it, go to the MIRROR SITE, where posts appear as well as on the primary site. I have reposted the archives (past posts) for Wicked Thoughts HERE or HERE or here