Independent Police Complaints Commission
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IPCC concludes managed investigation into Staffordshire Police

An investigation managed by the IPCC, commonly known as Operation Kalmia, has now concluded.

The investigation looked at disclosure issues prior to the 2008 trial of five men for the murder of Kevin Nunes in Staffordshire in 2002 – and how a protected witness was dealt with by Staffordshire police.

Three Chief Constables and an Assistant Chief Constable were found to have a case to answer for gross misconduct in the investigation report, compiled for the IPCC by Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon, but these findings were rejected by the relevant appropriate authorities.

The senior officers are: Chief Constable Suzette Davenport (Gloucestershire), Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale (West Midlands), Chief Constable Jane Sawyers (Staffordshire) and retired Chief Constable Adrian Lee, formerly of Northamptonshire, all of whom were officers at Staffordshire Police at the time of the murder investigation.

Two detective constables were found to have a case to answer for misconduct, which the appropriate authorities accepted in respect of one matter. One detective constable was given management advice; the other retired on health grounds.

Legislation allows the IPCC to require misconduct hearings to be held (a process known as ‘direction’) if the appropriate authorities’ decisions are deemed to be unreasonable. In this instance, the IPCC decided, after careful consideration, not to direct that hearings should be held. The IPCC found no evidence of a cover up or of wilful omission by any of the four senior officers. Under legislation, the IPCC can only make findings related to the conduct of senior officers; it cannot make findings about potential performance issues, as it can in relation to officers of lower rank.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided in January and November 2014 that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any officers over the same matter.

IPCC Deputy Chair Sarah Green said: “This has been an extremely complex and lengthy investigation. There is broad agreement that there were serious failings at Staffordshire Police following the murder of Kevin Nunes in 2002 and the conviction of five defendants for that murder in 2008.  However, cases for gross misconduct or misconduct have been rejected by the appropriate authorities who are responsible for holding misconduct hearings. After careful consideration I have accepted the appropriate authorities’ assessments and decided not to issue directions that misconduct hearings be held.”

 

Channel website: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/

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