Ex-Police Federation chief found guilty of gross misconduct after saying he would like to 'comfort widow in hotel room'
4 October 2024, 14:48
The former Police Federation chief has been found guilty of gross misconduct after making a sexual comment about a police constable's widow.
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John Apter was found by a disciplinary tribunal to have said that he wanted to "comfort" Lissie Harper - the widow of Pc Andrew Harper - in his hotel room, shortly before she collected a posthumous award on behalf of her late husband.
Pc Harper was killed while responding to a bike theft by three teenagers in Berkshire in August 2019 just four weeks after getting married.
Apter, 55, who retired as a Pc from Hampshire Constabulary in 2022, was found to have made the comments about Mrs Harper during a staff "huddle" during preparations for the awards ceremony in 2020.
Mrs Harper was made an MBE in 2022 for her campaign to strengthen the law in her late husband's memory, which was known as Harper’s Law.
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Sitting on the panel at Hampshire Constabulary’s strategic headquarters in Eastleigh, Legally Qualified Chair Giles Pengelly said: "We find the comment made about Lissie Harper proved and is proved to the level of gross misconduct."
The panel, however, cleared Mr Apter of a second allegation that he said in early 2019 to a pregnant Police Federation colleague: "Maybe you’ll get a bum now."
He was also cleared of an allegation that he had touched the bottom of a woman at a restaurant while visiting London for the National Police Bravery Awards in December 2021 before asking her: "Is that okay?"
Apter had denied all three allegations, which followed an investigation ordered by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
He told the tribunal that he "absolutely" had not made the comments and only "scratched" the woman’s upper back.
He claimed to find the allegations "deeply hurtful".
Apter, who started his career in policing in 1992, previously spoke out against the use of sexist nicknames as part of a canteen culture in the police in 2021, following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer.
He wrote in the Sunday Times: "Misogyny is not just a problem for women, it’s a problem for us all.
"Far too often there is silence when this takes place, and through this inaction, we are failing each other and wider society.
"We need to consign to the history books some of our canteen culture where sexist nicknames and derogatory remarks are made.
"When banter crosses the line to become sexist, derogatory or homophobic, that’s when it ceases to be banter."
He told the hearing that he had "challenged" inappropriate behaviour by police officers and stood by his public comments about misogyny.
The hearing was adjourned for the panel to consider its sanction against Apter.
