Northants senior police officer and two staff criminally investigated about ‘perverting the course of justice’ allegations
Exclusive: Police watchdog the IOPC has served notice on three Northants Police staff in relation to the contempt of court case that saw chief constable fined
By Sarah Ward
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The police watchdog has started a criminal investigation into a Northants senior police officer and two staff over perverting the course of justice allegations.
The matter is in relation to a legal case, which last autumn saw Northants Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet found to have been in contempt of court and fined £50,000. The civil case had been brought by Londonder Nadine Buzzard Quashie, who had been fighting the force for bodyworn footage of her arrest in Northamptonshire in September 2021, that she claims was unlawful.
After going through the county courts, the dispute went all the way up to the court of appeal and Buzzard Quashie was awarded costs after Northants Police at the eleventh hour admitted it did have undisclosed, bodyworn footage, contrary to what had been said at previous court hearings.
The matter exposed a series of issues, with Lord Justice Fraser calling it a ‘troubling case’.
So far the Northants force has paid out more than £250,000 dealing with the matter and costs could rise even further as there are ongoing proceedings.
Three Northants staff who were involved in the handling of the case were referred to police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in November and the IOPC has said the staff have now been told they are being criminally investigated.
NN Journal understands chief constable Balhatchet is not the senior officer under investigation.