Suspended South Yorkshire Police Chief to challenge PCC in court
South Yorkshire's suspended chief constable David Crompton has responded to a call from his PCC for him to resign by saying he will take the matter to court.
South Yorkshire's suspended chief constable David Crompton has responded to a call from his police and crime commissioner (PCC) for him to resign by saying he will take the matter to court.
South Yorkshire PCC Alan Billings suspended Mr Crompton in April following a statement the chief made the day after the end of the Hillsborough inquests.
Dr Billings explained that the statement by Mr Crompton sought to justify questioning by the force's legal team at the inquests "which touched on fan behaviour and caused the families distress''.
The suspension of Mr Crompton triggered a lengthy statutory process which culminated on Friday with Dr Billings calling for the chief constable to resign.
Dr Billings said:
"After careful consideration of all the views and correspondence I have received, I have decided that I should accept the police and crime panel's recommendation and should call on the chief constable to resign with immediate effect.
"This is due to the erosion of trust and confidence in his leadership which would have continued and intensified as long as he remained in post. This would not have been in the interests of South Yorkshire Police or people.''
But, in a statement issued by his lawyers, Mr Crompton responded:
"I believe the use of section 38 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, by the police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, to be fundamentally wrong and I will shortly be commencing judicial review proceedings in the High Court in order to challenge him.''