Top cop to be probed for ‘trying to stop journalists from revealing police failings over Nottingham stabbings’

A CHIEF Constable is to beryllium investigated implicit claims that she tried to halt journalists revealing constabulary failings implicit the Nottingham stabbings.

Kate Meynell is said to person called a backstage property briefing — but made the reporters motion gagging orders.

By forbidding them from publishing what they were told, it is claimed she hoped to fell the information that knifeman Valdo Calocane had been reported doubly to cops for stalking earlier his rampage successful 2023.

In a associated statement, relatives said: “We invited quality that the appalling actions and decisions of Kate Meynell, the Chief Constable of a failing constabulary force, volition beryllium afloat investigated.

“We judge she chose to clasp a non-reportable media briefing to withhold accusation and shackle the property from reporting further gross actions of her force.”

Paranoid schizophrenic Calocane, 31, killed 19-year-old students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber, arsenic good arsenic Ian Coates, 65, earlier stealing Mr Coates’ van and ramming into 3 people.

Nottingham’s Police and Crime Commissioner referred the families’ ailment to the IOPC – which has decided Meynell’s behaviour warrants an autarkic probe seeking to found whether an offence has been committed.

If criminal, it volition beryllium dealt with by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Other outcomes could see disciplinary proceedings oregon a alteration successful constabulary policy.

Ms. Meynell took implicit astatine Nottinghamshire Police successful 2022.

The unit declined to comment.

The IOPC said: “We are looking astatine the force’s determination to clasp a non-reportable briefing for media successful February. Our inquiries see assessing the contented of the briefing, the connection of that briefing to the families and whether it was conducted successful enactment with applicable policies and procedures.”