Investigation into police chief branded ‘perverse’

AN investigation into a police chief constable accused of bullying staff was “perverse, unreasonable and unfair”, it has been claimed at his misconduct hearing.

Lawyers for Simon Byrne, who was suspended from Cheshire Constabulary last August, applied for the allegations of gross misconduct to be dismissed at the hearing at Warrington Town Hall yesterday.

Staff have accused Mr Byrne of “bullying” and “humiliating” them and he is alleged to have “exhibited volatile, unpredictable and offensive behaviour” between May 2014 and March 2017.

Gerry Boyle QC, representing Mr Byrne, said the former Metropolitan Police officer had never been informed he was under investigation for gross misconduct.

He said: “The approach to this case by the commissioner has been perverse, unreasonable and unfair and it’s for those reasons we submit on behalf of the chief constable that this hearing should be permitted to go no further.”

Giving evidence to the hearing, Mr Keane said: “I’ve always wanted to do things in a very fair, very open and very considerate manner.”

The court heard the PCC received a complaint from the Police Federation about Mr Byrne in October 2016.

John Beggs QC, representing the police and crime commissioner’s office, said the application to dismiss the allegations was resisted.

At the start of the hearing, he said: “Mr Byrne has denied all allegations, denied gross misconduct, denied misconduct, so there is no meeting of minds, so to speak, on the allegations.”

The misconduct hearing is listed to last for nine days.