“The Conservative police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Devon and Cornwall, Alison Hernandez, knew about the allegations since at least April, but did not suspend Kerr.”

“Prior to the announcement, senior policing and Whitehall sources had told the Guardian they were concerned that failing to suspend Kerr could damage confidence, and believed a more junior officer would have been suspended if allegations of a similar gravity had been made against them.”

Devon and Cornwall police chief investigated over serious allegations of sexual offences

Vikram Dodd www.theguardian.com 

The chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police is under criminal investigation over serious allegations of sexual offences, the police watchdog for Northern Ireland has announced.

Will Kerr has been under investigation for several months over allegations dating back to his time as a senior officer in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). He has “strenuously denied” any wrongdoing.

Kerr was suspended from duty by the police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall on Wednesday, and the police watchdog for England and Wales announced an independent investigation into him.

There are now multiple criminal and disciplinary investigations under way. Initially, the public reason given for his suspension was for misconduct issues. But the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland later confirmed that it was investigating allegations of sexual assault against Kerr. Sources have told the Guardian these include rape.

In a response on Wednesday night, Kerr said: “In relation to the statement from the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in which she named me as being the subject of a criminal investigation into serious allegations of sexual offences, I strenuously deny any allegations of criminality.

“I recognise and respect the fact that accountability and due process are vital to any investigation, regardless of rank or position,” he continued. “I will continue to cooperate with any investigation. I hope that all matters will be expedited so that they will be concluded without delay.”

Before the announcement by the ombudsman, rulings made by judges on privacy had left news organisations unable to report the allegations of sexual assault against a serving chief constable.

Kerr, whose suspension comes eight months after he became chief, has not been arrested.

The Conservative police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Devon and Cornwall, Alison Hernandez, knew about the allegations since at least April, but did not suspend Kerr.

Prior to the announcement, senior policing and Whitehall sources had told the Guardian they were concerned that failing to suspend Kerr could damage confidence, and believed a more junior officer would have been suspended if allegations of a similar gravity had been made against them.

Solicitor Debaleena Dasgupta, of the Centre for Women’s Justice, said the failure to suspend Kerr for months after the criminal investigation began was a betrayal of the promises policing had made to change after the David Carrick case and other scandals.

“I think that women’s confidence in the police is at its lowest point ever,” she said. “What they have been promised when issues arise was that they will be tackled immediately and as a matter of urgency.

“The failure to suspend and waiting four months, is a betrayal of that promise from the police.”

Stephen White, former chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, and also the former acting PCC in Durham, said: “Suspension is a neutral act. Regular officers get suspended in relation to misconduct frequently. It beggars belief that there is a different rule for a chief constable facing a serious criminal allegation.

“Junior officers will feel, as may the public, that not suspending a chief constable facing serious allegations is hypocrisy. Public trust in the police is dependent on the public believing that when things go wrong, they will be dealt with properly.”

Lord Paddick, a former deputy assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan police and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on home affairs in the House of Lords, said: “This raises questions about whether the system of police governance is really working.”

PSNI started investigating the allegations earlier this year, but last month the watchdog in the province, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, used its legal powers to take over the criminal inquiry. It has also decided to investigate whether PSNI mishandled the allegations of sexual assault when they were first made in 2016.

The allegations date from Kerr’s 27 years serving in PSNI, which he left having reached the rank of assistant chief constable.

Sources have told the Guardian that one issue referred by the PCC to the police watchdog that directly led to the decision relates to vetting. The other reason was any potential discipline issues that come from the criminal investigation into the alleged sexual assaults, which could see disciplinary charges even if there are no criminal charges.

An IOPC spokesperson said: “Following assessment of a referral from the police and crime commissioner, we have decided to investigate allegations of misconduct against the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police, Will Kerr.”

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland said: “The Police Ombudsman commenced a criminal investigation into serious allegations of sexual offences against a former PSNI senior officer, currently the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall, on 16 June 2023 …

“The ombudsman will also consider the circumstances under which the allegations were investigated by PSNI.

“The office has been engaging with the IOPC on cross-jurisdictional issues in recent weeks, as well as with the office of the Devon and Cornwall police and crime commissioner.”

Kerr has been the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall since December 2022, having been headhunted by Hernandez for the post.

He took over the Devon and Cornwall force after it was placed in special measures by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, the policing inspectorate. It was criticised over the Plymouth shootings in 2021 in which five people were shot dead, with the gunman then killing himself. Police had handed a firearm back to the gunman weeks before he went on the rampage, having previously revoked his licence.

Kerr joined from Police Scotland, where he was deputy chief constable. Before that he served at the National Crime Agency, as well as spending more than two decades in the PSNI, where he reached the rank of assistant chief constable.

For any other rank, the appropriate authority to decide on whether an allegation merits suspension would be the chief constable of the force. But the authority when the allegation is against the chief constable is the police and crime commissioner.

Another senior source told the Guardian that Kerr’s suspension raised concerns about the resilience of the force.

Kerr took leave after the allegations against him first surfaced. He returned to work and in May chaired a disciplinary panel convened by his force, where he sacked an officer for lying about the GCSE grade he got in a maths exam when a teenager.

A fortnight ago he represented his force at the annual police bravery awards in central London, surrounded by his fellow chief constables, some of whom knew of the allegations he faced.

Jim Colwell, the acting chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police, said: “I am keen to reassure the public that we will maintain our focus on delivering the best possible service to our communities.

“Public trust and confidence are at the very heart of our ability to police effectively and we are incredibly proud that in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly we have the support of our communities.”

Cutting a £1.5m homelessness budget in Devon could lead to the closure of five homeless hostel services, charities have claimed.

By Miles Davis www.bbc.co.uk

The possible scrapping of the budget will be discussed by Devon County Council members on Thursday.

Charities said losing the money could also lead to the closure of a service working with people to prevent them becoming homeless.

The council has previously said it “simply” cannot afford the fund.

A special meeting has been convened to assess the impact with a final decision by the council on 23 August.

Charities said homeless numbers were increasing in the county.

Exeter homelessness charity St Petrock’s is leading a coalition of organisations opposing the proposed cuts.

The charity’s CEO, Peter Stephenson, said the council was correct in saying it did not have a statutory duty to prevent homelessness but Mr Stephenson said this “sidesteps the key issue”.

He said: “This funding provides support for people in huge need facing acute disadvantage, many of whom will otherwise need Adult Social Care intervention at Devon’s expense if this support is stripped away.

“Furthermore, if they lose this support, those teetering on the edge of needing Adult Social Care will experience a dramatic downturn in their wellbeing.

“It’s hard to see how these cuts represent any financial saving overall.”

‘Dangerous and short-sighted’

Homeless Link, the national membership body for frontline homelessness services, said the council’s own impact assessment found about 250 people received support through the funding.

Peter Smith, Homeless Link’s director of sector development, said cutting the funding would be a “dangerous and short-sighted decision”.

He said: “Not only will it cause a sharp rise in rough sleeping, it will also be placing additional strain on valuable health and social care services, meaning the proposed savings represent a false economy.”

Devon County Council did not respond to a request for comment ahead of the meeting on Thursday.

An ambitious scheme to ‘reinvent Exmouth’ is gathering pace. 

It follows a ‘placemaking plan’ launched last year, which aims to make the seaside town a better place for residents and visitors.

Guy Henderson, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Its mission, according to East Devon District Council and consultants WSP, is ‘understanding and harnessing the value of Exmouth’s assets through a set of interconnected actions that reimagine and reinvent Exmouth as a cohesive place where people choose to live, work and spend time’.

In practical terms, the new study will explore ways to diversify Exmouth’s economy by looking beyond tourism, and improving the town centre.

Unoccupied and derelict areas will be targeted while maintaining the town’s character to continue to attract visitors.

Workshops will be held to talk to residents and other stakeholders before the proposals move to the next stage.

At a meeting of the council’s ‘placemaking in Exmouth town and seafront group’ this week, project manager Gerry Mills paid tribute to the local team who had secured 56 events for the seafront area as well as the return of a big wheel, which went up last week.

“They are extremely hard-working,” he said. “And they deliver so much more than we actually see.”

Council leader Paul Arnott (Lib Dem, Coly Valley) said it was ‘excellent’ to see the town so busy, but Cllr Olly Davey (Green, Exmouth Town) said the town’s transport links continued to be a problem.

“It would be good if people didn’t all come in their cars and we had a much better connection between the train station and the seafront,” he said.

“The words look great, but it will all be about what it looks like on the ground. Something has got to change, something has got to be built, or un-built, or re-built.”

Exmouth Town Council member Graham Deasy (Lib Dem, Littleham) urged the ‘placemakers’ to examine the long-term impact of climate change. He said: “I would like to see it included from the start, to accommodate what we are seeing and the potential effects on us as a tourist destination.”

Mr Mills replied: “Climate change strategy is at the core of this. It came across loud and clear during the consultation that the environment was considered to be an extremely high priority.”

Part of your local £15.7m Levelling Up project which includes the completion of the Dinan Way extension, ten years late!- Owl

Public drop-in event Today, Thursday 27 July, at LED Exmouth Leisure Centre.

www.devon.gov.uk

Devon County Council is proposing to improve walking and cycling facilities in the area around Exmouth railway station. By encouraging more active travel, particularly for shorter journeys, we can help reduce congestion on our busy roads and improve connectivity across the town. This will also help reduce carbon emissions by encouraging people to use sustainable modes of travel.

As well as increasing footfall, and bringing benefits to local businesses, the proposals are also designed to make the area a safer, more welcoming, and more pleasant place for all.

Background to the proposals

These proposals form part of the Destination Exmouth project, which is funded by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, Devon County Council, East Devon District Council and Exmouth Town Council. The project aims to create an Exmouth Gateway – a transport interchange that enables people to travel across town by bicycle, on foot or by bus more easily, reducing the town’s reliance on cars. Below is a concept drawing of the area, which was submitted as part of the original funding application and gives an indication of potential proposals we are looking at implementing.

Concept drawing of the area which was submitted as part of the original funding application (Click here to see the full PDF of the drawing)

About the proposals

A range of improvements are being considered, including:

• dedicated cycling space and wider footways to make it safer and easier to travel between the station, bus stop, estuary, town centre and seafront
• safer, more convenient crossing points, including raised tables to encourage slower vehicle speeds
• better signage, so travelling from the station to the town and seafront is more straightforward
• electric vehicle charging and e-bike docking, making it easier to use green modes of transport
• upgraded bus stop facilities for a better public transport experience
• closure of the existing subway, with the removal of the access ramps providing space for these improvements

Have your say

We would like to hear your views, so please complete the survey by Monday 21 August at 11:59pm.

When submitting your comments, please bear in mind that the funding we have received from central Government is specifically designed to help improve the area around Exmouth railway station, including making it easier to navigate on foot or by bike.

We are also holding a public drop-in event on Thursday 27 July at LED Exmouth Leisure Centre. Members of the project team will be available between midday and 4pm to answer your questions and to discuss your ideas for the area.

Following the end of the engagement period we will consider your comments. We are planning to hold a formal public consultation on more detailed and specific proposals later in the year.

At last the local Tory publicity machine has cranked into gear and formally announced the candidate who was selected last week. (Missing this week’s print edition of the Journal.)

Who is he, what does he stand for and what connections, if any, does he have with the constituency? 

This announcement is singularly uninformative. – Owl

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk 

David Reed has been selected to represent the Local Conservative Party for Exmouth & Exeter East constituency at the next general election.

A meeting was held on Thursday (July 20) at Exmouth Community College, local Conservatives met to elect a new candidate to stand in Exmouth and East Exeter.

Yesterday (July 24), it was announced that Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord will stand for the new Honiton & Sidmouth constituency at the next election, promising to make local health services his main focus if re-elected.

David Reed is a former Royal Marine with strong family links to the area.

Mr Reed said: “I have a strong desire to make Exmouth & Exeter East the best it can be and I’m eager to engage with residents and address the pressing issues in the constituency.

“I am humbled and honoured to have been selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Exmouth & Exeter East.

“With a strong work ethic and a commitment to long-term solutions, I am ready to serve the entire constituency diligently.”

Simon Jupp, the current MP for East Devon, who will be standing for the new Honiton and Sidmouth constituency in the next general election, has congratulated David and welcomed him to the team.

He said: “Congratulations to David on his selection as the Conservative candidate for Exmouth & Exeter East.

“I am looking forward to working with him to help build on my work to secure £15.7m to deliver the Dinan Way extension, regeneration around Exmouth’s train station and a brand new state-of-the-art police station for the town.”

“As David Reed prepares to take on this important responsibility, he is keen to collaborate with the community, build a strong foundation and work tirelessly to address the concerns and aspirations of Exmouth & Exeter East constituents.”