Sarah Everard: MP urges North Yorkshire PCC to go

A former cabinet minister has said a police, fire and crime commissioner (PFCC) "should go" over comments he made following the Sarah Everard case.

North Yorkshire PFCC Philip Allott was criticised after saying Ms Everard never should have "submitted" to arrest by killer Wayne Couzens.

He later apologised for the comments, but said he would remain in post.

Julian Smith, Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, has said Mr Allott had lost the trust of women.

"Recent comments of the NY Police & Crime Commissioner were completely unacceptable," the MP and former Northern Ireland Secretary tweeted.

"Prior to Thursday's Police & Crime Panel meeting to discuss the PCC's future I believe the PCC has lost trust of women and victims groups & should go," he said.

During the sentencing of Wayne Couzens at the Old Bailey on 30 September, it emerged he tricked Ms Everard by falsely arresting her for a breach of Covid-19 guidelines.

The following day, Mr Allott told BBC Radio York he believed "women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested".

He added that Ms Everard "should never have been arrested and submitted to that".

Over 10,000 people have since signed an online petition calling for Mr Allott to step down as PFCC over what he said.

Mr Smith's tweet was supported by North Yorkshire's former PFCC Julia Mulligan, who tweeted: "Thank you Julian for speaking out."

Mr Allot, who was elected in May, said in an interview with BBC Look North he was "horrified" by how his comments had been seen.

"They are not the kind of language that I would normally use and I am so deeply sorry."

His comments will be discussed at a meeting of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on 14 October.

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