Suspended Northamptonshire Police chief constable Nick Adderley to face gross misconduct hearing

Nick Adderley – the suspended Northamptonshire Police chief constable – will face a gross misconduct hearing.

A complaint was made in July last year about Adderley, relating to him wearing a medal awarded to Falklands war veterans, despite only being 15 at the time. He said that it was his brother’s medal – however, he was wearing the honour on the wrong side of his chest.

The allegations were referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) – as per statutory guidance - which led to a probe into his career background and a criminal investigation into the allegations of misrepresenting his military service. Adderley has remained suspended since.

Today (January 31), the IOPC has confirmed that it has concluded that there is a gross misconduct case to answer, and has recommended that Adderley faces a disciplinary hearing. It also said the criminal investigation is ongoing.

A statement on the IOPC website says: “Our criminal investigation into allegations that the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire, Nick Adderley, has misrepresented his military service is ongoing. At the end of the investigation, we will decide whether or not to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider any potential offence.

“In the meantime, we have sent a report relating to disciplinary matters to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) for Northamptonshire alongside our recommendation that the Chief Constable’s conduct should be considered at a misconduct hearing, for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour, which could amount to gross misconduct. The standards identified are honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct.

“We advised the PFCC, based on the evidence we had gathered to date, that the PFCC should proceed to an accelerated gross misconduct hearing. Arrangements for a misconduct hearing are for the PFCC to take forward. We are grateful for the assistance provided by the PFCC during the investigation.”

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold has accepted the case passes the tests for an accelerated disciplinary hearing, and according to the commissioner, a hearing will now be convened at the “earliest opportunity”.

The hearing will be carried out by an independent panel that will consist of a Legally Qualified Chair (LQC), a representative of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and an independent panel member.

The date, time and arrangements for the hearing will be announced “later”, according to the commissioner.

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “I am grateful to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for the work it has carried out to date into the allegations against chief constable Nick Adderley. I am now convening an independent panel to consider the allegations.”

Adderley remains suspended from Northamptonshire Police. Acting chief constable Ivan Balhatchet is currently head of the police force.

The suspended chief constable will receive full pay throughout the entirety of his investigation - his yearly salary amounts to £165,000. It has previously been confirmed that the police force budget has “sufficient contingency” to continue paying Adderley throughout this period.