Northants chief constable disciplinary panel delay 'not good'

Police, fire and crime commissioner Stephen Mold said he wished the chief constable's future could be resolved sooner

A police, fire and crime commissioner (PFCC) has said postponing a chief constable's disciplinary hearing "really isn't good".

Stephen Mold, the Northamptonshire PFCC, said he wished the future of the chief constable, Nick Adderley, could have been resolved sooner.

Mr Adderley was due before a panel on Wednesday but the hearing will now take place over three days from 28 May.

The independent chair said the date was moved to allow more time for the case.

The proceedings against Mr Adderley followed an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

He was accused of wearing a Falklands War medal he did not earn and falsely stating he was a Royal Navy officer.

Nick Adderley's hearing will now take place over three days in May

The PFCC, Stephen Mold, said: "I had wished that it had been sooner - this really isn't good for the people of Northamptonshire, the force or Nick Adderley, but I have to respect the decision of the legally qualified chair who is independent for that exact reason.

"This is all part of the police conduct regulations - they lay out the process, it's not something I can interfere with or influence."

The deputy chief constable, Ivan Balhatchet, is acting as chief constable while Mr Adderley remains suspended.

Mr Mold said: "We've got good leadership under Ivan and his team. I just wish we could have brought it to resolution sooner.

"We've got a date now that provides some sort of certainty."

Acting chief constable Ivan Balhatchet was providing "good leadership", the PFCC said

Disciplinary panel chairman Callum Cowx, himself a former Royal Navy officer, decided the hearing should be held in private "following representations".

This was challenged by the BBC and other media outlets.