Ex-Police Federation chairman 'made sexual comment' about slain officer’s widow

The erstwhile caput of the Police Federation made a intersexual remark astir the widow of an serviceman killed successful the enactment of duty, a misconduct tribunal has heard.

John Apter said helium would similar to “comfort” Pc Andrew Harper’s widow Lissie Harper successful his edifice room, soon earlier she collected a posthumous grant connected behalf of her precocious husband, the proceeding was told.

The Police Federation represents rank-and-file constabulary officers.

Experienced serviceman Mr Apter, who erstwhile publically criticised the occupation of “misogyny” successful the force, is besides alleged to person touched a woman’s bottommost and made a intersexual remark to a federation subordinate of staff.

Mr Apter denies making inappropriate comments oregon intersexual touching, the proceeding held by Hampshire Constabulary successful Eastleigh, adjacent Southampton was told.

The sheet heard that portion talking astir Mrs Harper during a unit “huddle” earlier the grant ceremonial successful January 2020, Mr Apter told colleagues: “I’d similar to comfortableness her successful my edifice room.”

The remark was “sexual successful nature” and the radical absorption was “awkward”, barrister Cecily White, presenting the case, said.

The tribunal besides heard that successful 2021, Mr Apter touched a woman’s bottommost earlier asking her: “Is that OK?”.

The erstwhile serviceman aboriginal denied touching the pistillate inappropriately, but admitted to scratching her backmost aft she “light-heartedly” told him it was itchy, Ms White said.The erstwhile officer’s actions demonstrated a wide “pattern of behaviour”, Ms White said.

The sheet heard that successful 2019, Mr Apter told a large Police Federation workfellow “maybe you’ll get a bum now”.

But giving evidence, the workfellow said determination had been a “witch hunt” against Mr Apter who was really a “really bully guy”.

Mr Apter was suspended by the Police Federation successful December 2021 amid accusations implicit his behaviour connected 4 occasions that year.

He was besides suspended from work by Hampshire Constabulary.

Mr Apter formerly led the Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents much than 130,000 officers from the fertile of constable to main inspector.

He was being investigated implicit 2 imaginable transgression allegations of intersexual battle but prosecutors recovered grounds provided by watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) did not conscionable the level for a prosecution.

Mr Apter, who started his vocation successful policing successful 1992, had spoken retired against the usage of sexist nicknames arsenic portion of a canteen civilization successful the constabulary successful 2021, aft the execution of Sarah Everard by a serving officer.

He wrote successful the Sunday Times: “Misogyny is not conscionable a occupation for women, it’s a occupation for america all. Far excessively often determination is soundlessness erstwhile this takes place, and done this inaction, we are failing each different and wider society.

“We request to consign to the past books immoderate of our canteen civilization wherever sexist nicknames and derogatory remarks are made. When banter crosses the enactment to go sexist, derogatory oregon homophobic, that’s erstwhile it ceases to beryllium banter.”

The disciplinary tribunal continues.