Sacking ‘perverse’ says ex police chief
The row between South Yorkshire’s chief constable and the crime commissioner who sacked him continued last night after David Crompton accused his former boss of “perverse, misconceived and irrational” decision-making.
Mr Crompton was ousted last year by police and crime commissioner Dr Alan Billings .
THE ACRIMONIOUS dispute between South Yorkshire’s chief constable and the crime commissioner who sacked him continued last night after David Crompton accused his former boss of “perverse, misconceived and irrational” decision-making.
Mr Crompton, who was ousted from his job last year in a decision that has so far cost taxpayers £300,000, has criticised police and crime commissioner Dr Alan Billings for the decision which was this month overturned by High Court judges.
He said the decision to deal with the constitutional issues raised by the judgement through Parliamentary means “should be greeted with concern and incredulity”.
In a statement released through legal firm Kingsley Napley, the officer, who was paid his full salary of £143,916 until he was effectively fired, said Dr Billings’ decision not to appeal the High Court ruling “clearly means that the damning criticism of his decisions by the High Court was absolutely correct”.
He said: “Sadly, he has wasted a huge amount of public money which could have been completely avoided if he had listened to the unequivocal advice of Sir Thomas Winsor [Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary] a year ago.
“His decision-making was quite simply perverse, misconceived and irrational and the suggestion that he will approach parliament should be greeted with concern and incredulity.”
After the High Court ruling last week, Vera Baird, chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said it raised issues “which may merit further clarification”.
She said she would speak with new policing minister Nick Hurd MP “in the near future and will be looking to raise a range of matters relating to policing, including some of those raised in this judgement”.
His decisionmaking was quite simply perverse and irrational. David Crompton criticises PCC Dr Alan Billings.
The sacking of Mr Crompton was carried out using powers granted under Section 38 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.
It is feared the judgement that the decision was unlawful will hinder the ability of PCCs to fire chief constables in future if the need arises.
Last week, Dr Billings said he would not be resigning as a result of the ruling, as doing so would trigger a by-election costing £1.5m and would plunge the scandal-hit police force into “another period of uncertainty and turbulence”.
He started proceedings which led to him forcing out Mr Crompton in April 2016 over a statement he issued at the end of the Hillsborough disaster inquests.
A jury concluded that police conduct contributed to or caused the deaths of the football fans in the stadium disaster in 1989. The families of those who died complained that a line of questioning by South Yorkshire Police during the inquests was designed to try to blame the supporters.
After the inquests, Mr Crompton issued a statement viewed by some as appearing to justify the questioning of the fans’ conduct.
Dr Billings suspended him and later ordered his resignation, claiming the statement showed Mr Crompton did not “grasp the gravity of the situation” and that it was “insensitive and damaged both the force and the chief constable himself ”.
But Mr Crompton challenged the decision in the High Court, where judges ruled in his favour. They said the sacking was wholly disproportionate’.
As well as his own legal fees, the PCC will also have to reimburse Mr Crompton his legal fees, expected to run into tens of thousands of pounds.