Police chief served with criminal gross misconduct notice

The Chief constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Peter Fahy is facing a misconduct probe over claims he poorly handled an investigation into an alleged child sex offender.

The police force is accused of allowing a teenage boy to enter the flat of a suspected paedophile.

A whistleblower claims three other officers, including one who is now retired, were also at fault. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) are now investigating.

ITV News Correspondent Juliet Bremner has this report:

Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy should be suspended pending the outcome of the IPCC investigation into alleged misconduct, according to Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk.

He told ITV News: "He should be suspended as these are serious allegations. This is not a disciplinary issue we're talking about here, but a potential criminal investigation."

The Labour politician added that he was in no doubt that if another frontline officer faced such serious allegations they would be suspended.

Sir Peter Fahy has been served with a criminal and gross misconduct notice in relation to his "alleged support to an allegedly poorly-handled investigation into a suspected sex offender", the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

Danczuk said: "The leadership of Greater Manchester Police risks damaging public trust in the force. Sir Peter says he has done nothing wrong and is confident his name will be cleared. But he should be suspended while that process takes place."

Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy has been served with a criminal and gross misconduct notice in relation to his "alleged support to an allegedly poorly-handled investigation into a suspected sex offender", the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

Another serving officer has been handed a gross misconduct notice following the investigations - prompted by allegations made by a whistleblower - for his oversight in the disposal of body parts belonging to victims of serial killer Harold Shipman.

The IPCC inquiry was broken down into three investigations - claims concerning Shipman's victims, allegations against a detective chief inspector, and claims concerning a sexual abuse investigation.

Sir Peter, a detective superintendent and a detective chief inspector, all serving, have been handed criminal and gross misconduct notices in relation to the investigation into the suspected sex offender. A retired officer will also be served with a criminal and gross misconduct notice over his role in this investigation.