Medal allegedly worn by police chief Nick Adderley was a copy, panel told

Northamptonshire Police chief Nick Adderley denies misconduct

A medal expert has told a misconduct panel he is "110% sure" a Falklands War medal alleged to have been worn by a suspended chief constable was a copy.

Northamptonshire Police's Nick Adderley is accused of claiming to be a Falklands veteran, even though he was only 15 when the war started.

He has denied misconduct, but will not give evidence to the panel on the advice of his defence team.

The decision means closing arguments will be made on Thursday morning.

Chris Hayward, who has worked at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for 30 years, said he had inspected "hundreds, if not thousands" of South Atlantic Medals.

The honours were awarded to British military personnel and civilians for service in the Falklands conflict, which began in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the first day of the hearing was told Mr Adderley claimed to have served in the Royal Navy for 10 years but had only served for two; that he attended the prestigious Britannia Royal Naval College, despite his application being rejected; and that he had been a military negotiator in Haiti, when he had never been to the country.

Mr Adderley has claimed the South Atlantic Medal he had been pictured wearing several times since at least 2010 was given to him by his brother when he emigrated.

But Mr Hayward said in his view, the medal sent him by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which was allegedly voluntarily handed over by Mr Adderley at the end of his IOPC interview last October, was not genuine.

The evidence was heard on the second day of Mr Adderley's three-day misconduct hearing

Giving evidence on the second day of the hearing, at Northampton Saints' Franklin's Gardens stadium, Mr Hayward said the medal was of "poorer quality" than official South Atlantic Medals.

"As soon as I picked it up, I could tell. It was lighter and not made of the same material," he said.

"You could tell it was not cupronickel and the mount didn't swivel - a real one can swivel around.

"Copy medals look more blingy, more shiny - you can tell straight away. We are handling official medals all the time."

He said he did not believe its inscription was engraved in the same way as MoD medals, saying: "It was totally different; a completely different look and font."

Questioned by John Beggs KC, representing the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Mr Hayward said: "It was a copy medal, I'm 110% sure."

Mr Hayward added that the medal he was sent, which did not have a covering note with it, was thrown away after it was examined "because they are not worth any money".

Asked where someone might acquire a copy medal, Mr Hayward said: "People can buy them off reputable medal dealers, but they are not made to the same spec as the MoD's medals."

Mr Adderley's misconduct hearing was told he wore a Falklands War medal "not believed to be valid"

Neil Collins, lead investigator in the case at the IOPC, said in his evidence that the medal was handed over by Mr Adderley at the end of his interview with him and was sent to the MoD in a police evidence bag, which may have led the medal office to assume it had come from Wakefield police.

Matthew Holdcroft, defending Mr Adderley, raised doubts the medal received by the MoD was the same one sent by the IOPC due to the lack of a covering note and Mr Collins saying there was a service number on the medal, while Mr Hayward said there was not.

The hearing continues.

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