Former police chief's suspension "unlawful", High Court rules

THE High Court has today ruled that the decision to suspend a chief constable over his handling of the Hillsborough Inquest was unlawful. 

The region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, suspended David Crompton on April 27 last year over his conduct in representing South Yorkshire Police at the Hillsborough inquests.

Mr Crompton’s apology after the unlawful killing verdicts sought to justify the force’s heavy questioning during the hearings, which caused victims' families distress.

Mr Crompton then resigned on September 29. 

A two-day hearing took place this year in March in the Divisional Court and today judges returned their verdict, which Dr Billings said he was “dissapointed” with.

Dr Billings added: “I will be seeking permission to appeal the outcome, from the Court of Appeal, as this decision has potentially serious implications for the governance arrangements for the police service generally and not just in South Yorkshire. 

“I will be consulting about that with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners before deciding how to proceed, as I recognise the process has already been expensive and it would not necessarily be in the interest of the South Yorkshire tax payers to foot the bill, despite the national importance of the decision in this case.”