Petition calls for councillor's resignation and a police investigation
North Northamptonshire councillor Matt Binley has recently admitted to sex with a 14-year-old but is currently not facing any investigation by the police force he used to work for.
A woman’s group has launched a petition calling for the immediate resignation and investigation of a North Northamptonshire councillor who has admitted to sex with an underage teen.
Matt Binley told a group of Conservative councillors at a meeting earlier this month that while a serving Northants police constable he had sex with a 14-year-old.
As NN Journal exclusively reported last week, the force is not currently taking any action despite the council’s leader Jason Smithers taking the matter to chief constable Ivan Balhatchet. This is because despite Binley’s recent admission in front of numerous witnesses, the force says the admission does not amount to new evidence. He was investigated in 2009 for the alleged offence and the Crown Prosecution Service decided to take no further action. He quit the force the same year and an internal misconduct investigation was dropped.
The force has confirmed again today there is no active investigation into Binley’s behaviour.
The Northants Women’s Empowerment Group has set up an online petition as they say ‘the details of this case are deeply disturbing and necessitate immediate thorough action.’ They want the police force to open a review into what happened when the allegations were originally made against Binley.
The petition lists many reasons for demanding his resignation and a new investigation including a breach of trust and undermining public confidence in the police; his suitability for public office after admitting to sex with an underage child, and apparent disparity in justice.
The petition says:
“What could be a great opportunity for Northants Police to regain public trust and confidence has been squandered. They are instead fuelling the perception that the law is not applied equally to those who hold positions of power.”
The Northants force’s reputation has been hit deeply in recent years with the former chief constable Nick Adderley sacked for lying. The new chief constable Ivan Balhatchet has said restoring trust and confidence in the force is one of his top priorities.
Binley, who is the son of former Northampton South MP Brian Binley, was jailed in 2010 for lying about a drink drive offence.
He has been expelled from the Conservative group for his recent criminal admission and now sits as an independent councillor. He told the Northants Telegraph last week that he will not be standing for re-election to the authority this May.
He was first elected in 2021 and despite no local political experience, he put his hat in the ring to become leader of the Conservative group, but was beaten to the role by Jason Smithers.
He currently remains as an independent councillor for the Queensway ward in Wellingborough.
NN Journal has contacted Cllr Binley for comment and he said he had nothing further to add. In previous statements he has said ‘the allegations were fully investigated by the appropriate authorities at the time. ‘Following a comprehensive investigation, the matter was concluded with no further action taken.’
*After publication, Northants Police has requested we reprint a response from them given last week, so here it is:
A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: “Councillor Smithers made contact with Northamptonshire Police earlier this month, since when we have taken exhaustive steps to address all allegations surrounding Mr Binley some 15 years or more ago.
“As stated previously, Mr Binley was the subject of police investigations in 2009, but the CPS advised no further action be taken in the courts. Professional Standards then carried out its own internal investigation into misconduct, but Mr Binley resigned from the Force during that process and, under the regulations at the time, the Force had no legal recourse to continue its investigation into him.
“Following the approach from Councillor Smithers, the Chief Constable directed that all relevant crime files were fully reviewed in addition to the Crown Prosecution Service advice from the time.
“No new evidence has surfaced to pursue further any of the allegations against Mr Binley.
“However, as in the case of any historic allegations of criminal conduct, Northamptonshire Police will, of course, investigate new evidence that does come to light.”
As usual an excellent report by Sarah Ward. However, the "Women group" refered to in the article has got some insurmountable hurdle to get over. Why? Because the majority of MP'S in Northamptonshire are female, and yet, not one of them has spoken out on this subject. What is worst, is a woman Commissioner Stone, has employed someone who was recruited by Adderley. He has be tarnished by the regime that Adderley impose. Until you have an admission that mistake have been made, than it does not matter how many petitions are submitted, you are not going to get anywhere. The only avenue that might work is direct action by other political parties Councillors and Independent against the sitting parties at present.
Well put Sarah Ward and great reply Anita Shields. Commissioner Stone, MPs and Councillors female and male DO SOMETHING! You stand for nothing when you do not action Domestic Abuse or child abuse.
New evidence being sought, ridiculous!! Binley has allegedly admitted doing this infront of over 30 people. Have we had the age confirmed? While Binley was in his late 20's and a man employed to uphold the law?
This smells of corruption with dad as an MP (who was an alleged Freemason), Northamptonshire Police (did they want to hush this scandal) and then Councillors with criminal convictions recruited and rewarded.
Was it a month ago that it was reported Nptonshire Police openly masterbating in various local police stations. Come on you 'good' police, we know you are out there, DO something!!!!