Police union leader is now facing FOUR sex pest claims
THE chairman of the Police Federation is facing accusations of sexual misconduct from three more women, it emerged yesterday.
The staff union said on Monday it had suspended John Apter over complaints from a female officer of sexual touching and inappropriate comments.
But yesterday it was revealed that three other women are making similar allegations.
The father of two, who represents 130,000 rank-and-file officers across England and Wales, also faces a criminal investigation by his own force, Hampshire Police, as well as a police watchdog probe.
He is accused of sexual touching at the Police Bravery Awards, a glitzy event attended by the top figures in policing in Britain, including Scotland Yard chief Dame Cressida Dick and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct will seek photographs and video taken at the London event as well as at other official gatherings that day.
The alleged victim was not thought to be among the 81 officers nominated for awards that night. At another social gathering weeks earlier, Mr Apter is alleged to have made inappropriate sexual comments.
He is accused of breaching professional standards on four different occasions between October and this month, with two of the allegations relating to sexual touching and the other claims relating to inappropriate comments to two women. Police watchdogs removed Mr Apter’s warrant card on Monday after receiving the allegations from the Hampshire force on Friday.
He was suspended as federation chairman 24 hours after being suspended by Hampshire.
Hours before being served with a notice of alleged gross misconduct, he was tweeting his support for a mental health campaign, saying: ‘We see the very worst of humanity, but are expected to leave it behind at the end of a shift, then return to normal life.’
Mr Apter deleted his social media accounts yesterday. He was elected chairman of the police staff association in May 2018. In October he announced he would leave the post in April.
Mr Apter, who was unavailable for comment yesterday, has not been arrested and his home has not been searched.
An IOPC spokesman said: ‘The officer was served with a notice of investigation for potential breaches of police professional standards relating to four separate alleged incidents. They were also advised they are subject to criminal investigation, for sexual touching contrary to section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, in relation to two of those alleged incidents.’