Wyn Jones (police officer)

Last updated

Wyn Jones
QPM
Assistant Commissioner Personnel and Training, Metropolitan Police
In office
1989–1993
Personal details
Born
Graham Wyn Jones

c. 1943

Graham Wyn Jones QPM (born c. 1943) is a former British police officer.

Contents

Gloucestershire and Thames Valley

Jones joined Gloucestershire Constabulary as a constable at the age of 19. [1] He studied part-time for a law degree [1] and rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming a chief inspector by the age of 32 [2] and a chief superintendent by 36. [1] In 1980, he was promoted to assistant chief constable with Thames Valley Police. [1] In this role, he was in charge of the policing of the CND demonstrations at Greenham Common. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Deputy assistant commissioner

In 1984, along with John Smith and David O'Dowd, he was one of a trio of young provincial rising stars who were appointed to the rank of deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police as part of Commissioner Sir Kenneth Newman's drive for modernisation. [1] [8] At the age of 40 the youngest DAC in the force's history, [1] [8] he was put in charge of support services and policy for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) [9] and less than a year later was transferred to command the East London area. Here he was in charge of the controversial policing of the Wapping dispute which began in January 1986, which was accused of being heavy-handed. [1] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] Jones was awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in the 1987 Birthday Honours. [19]

Assistant commissioner, investigation and dismissal

On 1 September 1989, Jones was promoted to assistant commissioner [20] and was appointed Assistant Commissioner Personnel and Training (ACPT).

In December 1990, he was placed under investigation accused of "improper police work" for the businessman Asil Nadir. [21] He was suspended on full pay and an investigation began headed by Chief Constable Peter Nobes of West Yorkshire Police, [22] although given no assistant commissioner, who are appointed by royal warrant, had ever been so investigated before this posed problems as to legal precedent. [23] [24]

The investigation, which revolved around the provision of security guards for Nadir and began after one of Jones's chief superintendents who was himself under investigation for the same matter implicated his superior officer, was completed in April 1991 and the report submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Allan Green. [25] Green decided that there was not enough evidence to charge Jones with a criminal offence. [26]

He continued to face disciplinary action, however. The special tribunal convened to hear the case, which was chaired by the barrister Jeremy Gompertz advised by HM Inspector of Constabulary James Brownlow, [27] [28] cleared him of "conduct incompatible with his rank" in relation to Nadir, but did express concern over his use of a police staff car for trips to the West Country in connection with a police rugby club of which he was president, an overnight stay in Cambridge, a trip to a conference in France, and late accounting for expenses. [29]

In March 1993, counsel for the Serious Fraud Office even suggested at the Old Bailey that Jones, Nadir, the latter's counsel Anthony Scrivener and Mr Justice Tucker had conspired to pervert the course of justice over Nadir's trial for fraud. [30] [31] [32]

In June 1993, Home Secretary Michael Howard decided to ask the Queen to withdraw Jones's royal warrant, effectively dismissing him. [33] Jones's supporters believed the decision was political, based on personality clashes with other senior officers and attempts by the conservative 'old guard' to remove a reformer who could have an abrasive manner. [33] After being refused a judicial review, [34] he was formally dismissed from the Metropolitan Police on 16 December 1993, [35] the most senior Metropolitan Police officer ever to face disciplinary proceedings. [34]

Shoplifting trial

In March 1994, Jones was forcibly detained by a store detective and security guard who accused him of shoplifting chicken breasts, cheese and two bottles of wine worth £24 from a branch of Marks & Spencer on the King's Road near his home in Belgravia, despite having £1,700 in cash on him. [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] He was convicted of theft by a jury on 11 April 1995 and fined £400. [34]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "High flyer who was destined for the top", The Times , 13 December 1990
  2. ↑ "Police chief accused", The Times, 13 December 1973
  3. ↑ "CND seeks site for a festival", The Times, 25 March 1983
  4. ↑ "Police leave stopped and security tightened as CND blockade gathers", The Times, 31 March 1983
  5. ↑ "Thousands of hands link in CND rally", The Times, 2 April 1983
  6. ↑ "Sixty arrested in blockade of US nuclear bomber base", The Times, 1 June 1983
  7. ↑ "Air base protest ends with total of 752 arrested", The Times, 4 June 1983
  8. 1 2 "Provincial policemen join Yard's top ranks", The Times, 18 August 1984
  9. ↑ "Police soften attitude to victims", The Times, 25 January 1985
  10. ↑ "Agitators blamed for violence", The Times, 17 February 1986
  11. ↑ "Hard left stirs up trouble and arms itself in Wapping dispute", The Times, 28 March 1986
  12. ↑ "Wapping violence was planned - police", The Times, 5 May 1986
  13. ↑ "Wapping violence down after talks", The Times, 12 May 1986
  14. ↑ "NGA calls for union's expulsion", The Times, 2 July 1986
  15. ↑ "Wapping attacks 'will cause death'", The Times, 25 October 1986
  16. ↑ "Police defend use of horses", The Times, 27 January 1987
  17. ↑ "Writs are served on two print unions", The Times, 30 January 1987
  18. ↑ "Yard ponders public defence of Wapping strategy", The Times, 25 January 1990
  19. ↑ "No. 50948". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 1987. p. 23.
  20. ↑ "No. 51866". The London Gazette . 8 September 1989. p. 10358.
  21. ↑ "Police chief faces Nadir allegations", The Times, 13 December 1990.
  22. ↑ "Enquiry into Yard officer begins", The Times, 14 December 1990.
  23. ↑ "Status puzzle of enquiry into senior policeman", The Times, 29 December 1990.
  24. ↑ "Lawyers to advise Yard", The Times, 8 November 1991.
  25. ↑ "Report on police chief sent to DPP", The Times, 27 April 1991.
  26. ↑ "Senior Yard man will not face charges", The Times, 18 May 1991.
  27. ↑ "Police tribunal", The Times, 6 March 1992.
  28. ↑ "Yard chief to face discipline hearing", The Times, 11 July 1992.
  29. ↑ "Yard chief takes his case to Clarke", The Times, 6 November 1992.
  30. ↑ "Mates denounces fraud office", The Times, 30 June 1993
  31. ↑ "Tip led to enquiry into bribe claim", The Times, 1 July 1993.
  32. ↑ "CPS drops case of Nadir 'bribery plot'", The Times, 17 November 1993.
  33. 1 2 "Howard faces battle in courts over sacked police chief", The Times, 24 June 1993.
  34. 1 2 3 "Former Yard chief guilty of shoplifting", The Times, 12 April 1995
  35. ↑ "Senior Met man sacked", The Times, 17 December 1993.
  36. ↑ "Ex-police chief's denial", The Times, 23 March 1994
  37. ↑ "Officer accused", The Times, 4 October 1994
  38. ↑ "Case adjourned", The Times, 2 November 1994
  39. ↑ "Theft charge", The Times, 21 December 1994
  40. ↑ "Former Met chief tells of humiliation at arrest", The Times, 11 April 1995
Police appointments
Preceded by
Unknown
 Assistant Chief Constable, Operations, Thames Valley Police
1980–1984		Succeeded by
Preceded by Assistant Commissioner Personnel and Training, Metropolitan Police
1989–1993		Succeeded by
Last incumbent

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