OF LONDON
monday december 1 2014 | thetimes.co.uk | no 71368
How to spy on your partner ner We test the ‘marriage’ app Pages 30-31
Over half of crime chiefs accused of misconduct
the game
The best of the weekend action Sport, pages 46-55 LIA TOBY / WENN
MPs to scrutinise police commissioner complaints Fiona Hamilton Crime Correspondent
More than half of the coalition’s elected police chiefs have already been investigated by the policing watchdog midway into their term, The Times can reveal. New figures show that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has looked into more than 40 complaints of alleged wrongdoing by 23 police and crime commissioners. This amounts to over half of the 41 PCCs who were elected for fouryear terms in November 2012 after the abolition of police authorities in England and Wales. A parliamentary committee is now about to investigate the high level of complaints amid concern about scrutiny of the powerful post. At present PCCs can only be removed at the ballot box. The office has been hit by a series of controversies, the most notable of which resulted in the resignation in September of Shaun Wright, the South Yorkshire PCC, after weeks of pressure over the Rotherham child abuse scandal. The IPCC is assessing a complaint about his alleged knowledge of child sexual exploitation allegations while he worked at Rotherham metropolitan borough council. It is expected to announce shortly whether a formal investigation is warranted. A spokesman for the IPCC confirmed that between the 2012 elections and October 31 it had received 44 complaints about 23 PCCs. The grievances were referred from the relevant police force or the PCC’s own office. The watchdog conducted initial investigations, or scoping exercises, into
the majority of complaints. Twelve were dismissed because they related to a procedural matter, but six progressed to formal, independent inquiries. The IPCC is overseeing a seventh inquiry, in which the investigative work is being undertaken by City of London police. The remaining 25 matters were referred back to local police and crime panels, set up to scrutinise PCCs, as the IPCC’s limited powers mean it can only investigate matters that reach the criminal threshold. Clive Grunshaw, the Lancashire PCC, is among the commissioners facing a formal investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service is considering material concerning mileage claims that he made while he was a Labour county councillor. The IPCC is expected to announce shortly whether it will refer the case of Ron Hogg, the Durham PCC, to the CPS over allegations about benefits received while serving with Cleveland police. Other allegations that it has considered include the leaking of confidential information and electoral fraud. The watchdog is also assessing whether a police constable was obstructed in his duties while he investigated whether Ann Barnes, Kent’s scandal-hit PCC, was driving her Mercedes without proper car insurance. Mr Grunshaw and Mr Hogg have denied wrongdoing. Mrs Barnes has declined to comment on the case. Keith Vaz, the chairman of the parliamentary home affairs select committee, said that he would be writing to police and crime panels about the Continued on page 4, col 1 Leading article, page 20
Centre stage Benedict Cumberbatch and his fiancée, Sophie Hunter, were among a host of stars at the 60th London Evening Standard Theatre Awards last night. Gillian Anderson won best actress and Tom Hiddleston best actor. Page 13
Private-school confidence ‘hurts society’ Nicola Woolcock Education Correspondent
Some privately educated pupils have a bullish and charmless confidence and can “asphyxiate the society they move in”, the head of a leading independent school has said. There are downsides to the overconfidence instilled by an independent education that can repel people, according to Andrew Halls, the headmaster of King’s College School in London. However, Mr Halls said that the private sector’s adherence to “old-fashioned” practices such as the house and prefect system gave pupils confidence
and a “sense that influence matters”. He added that because teachers were less in thrall to the “dead hand of the state” they could choose methods that made their pupils more self-assured. The confidence imparted by independent schools into its charges has been praised by the Labour shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, who said that this innate belief in one’s own abilities was often lacking in stateeducated pupils. However, Mr Halls said that overconfidence could have a downside for society. “Some independent school children can asphyxiate the society they move in because their confidence is so
bullish and charmless,” he said. “There are downsides to overconfidence; people can feel a bit repelled by it.” The headmaster was also critical of the “distasteful” competition between independent schools, which ended up with pupils having “ludicrously extravagant facilities” at their disposal. He described an “arms race” in recent years, with schools competing to build the best facilities. “I understand the commercial logic of keeping up with the Joneses but you [end up] with children with ludicrously extravagant facilities.” Damian Lewis, the actor and Old Etonian who is due to play Henry VIII Continued on page 8, col 1
IN THE NEWS Military Cross scandal Roads revolution The integrity of the military honours system is being questioned amid allegations that a second Military Cross was awarded after exaggerated accounts of gallantry. Page 3
The “biggest, boldest” road building programme in 25 years will be announced today, but forecasts suggest the new capacity will quickly be filled by more traffic. Page 7
Gene call on cancer
Co-op Bank ‘fails test’
Burgess on fast track
Women should be offered tests for gene mutations that raise their risk of breast cancer, said scientists, after research found that current screening misses up to half of cases. Page 13
The scandal-hit Co-operative Bank is expected to fail a “stress test” and could be forced to accelerate its recovery plan to satisfy regulators. Business, page 36
England will consider giving Sam Burgess his first taste of representative rugby union next month after he played for 17 minutes on his debut for Bath on Friday. Sport, page 64
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