Chief Constable cleared of criminality but still facing a misconduct inquiry

THE suspended Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall will not be prosecuted over allegations of sexual offences.

- by JONATHAN MCCAMBRIDGE

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland also said Will Kerr would not face charges relating to an allegation of misconduct in public office.

Devon and Cornwall's Police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez said the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) would now be resuming an investigation into allegations of misconduct against Mr Kerr and he would remain suspended until those inquiries were complete.

Before joining Devon and Cornwall Police in December 2022 Mr Kerr had spent 27 years with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), where he reached the rank of Assistant Chief Constable, and then worked for Police Scotland.

He was suspended as Chief Constable in 2023 after it emerged he was under investigation following allegations of sexual offences. At the time he strenuously denied any allegations of criminality.

He was investigated by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) and the IOPC, and the ombudsman case was then passed to the PPS in Northern Ireland.