Northamptonshire's chief constable misconduct hearing to be private

A suspended chief constable's gross misconduct hearing for allegedly misrepresenting his military service is to be heard in private.

Nick Adderley faces the proceedings by Northamptonshire Police following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

He was accused of wearing a Falklands War medal he did not earn and falsely stating he was a Royal Navy officer.

The decision to hold his hearing privately was announced on Friday.

The county's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said it was taken by the chair of Wednesday's hearing "following representations made under Regulation 53 (3)(a) and 53 (3)(c)".

"The chair has ruled that the hearing will be in private and subject to reporting restrictions, until further notice," he said.

The media can submit challenges to the ruling that the meeting will be behind closed doors.

The disciplinary process was accelerated after the IOPC produced a report which concluded there was a case to answer for gross misconduct.

It will wait until the end of its criminal investigation before deciding whether to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider whether crimes were committed.

Mr Adderley was suspended following the allegations made against him and the force has an acting chief constable, Ivan Balhatchet.

In a statement last year, he said had always worn his own medals alongside two medals his brothers gave him to wear when one became critically ill and one moved overseas.

As well as expressing disappointment at what said he were "leaked" details of a "very personal family issue", the suspended police chief said he had changed the side of his chest on which he wore his brothers' medals after seeking advice.

In December, the BBC reported how Mr Adderley had claimed to be a Royal Navy officer despite never achieving that rank.

He served in the Royal Navy for less than two years after starting training as a rating - the most junior class of seaman - in 1984.

It is understood he left because he was not suited for life in the service, despite a confirmation panel for his police job being told he spent 10 years in the navy.

The Sun newspaper previously revealed that Mr Adderley had worn a Falklands War campaign medal despite him being 15 years old when the conflict took place.

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