Former senior GMP cop at centre of a misconduct hearing over claims he exaggerated his naval rank will not give evidence

A former senior Greater Manchester Police officer at the centre of a misconduct hearing will not give evidence to the panel.

Nick Adderley, the suspended Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police, has been accused of 'building military naval legend', including the implication that he served in the Falklands War despite being just 15 when the conflict happened in 1982.

It has been claimed that he exaggerated his naval rank, length of service and achievements. A Ministry of Defence medal expert also told the misconduct panel he is '110 per cent sure' a Falklands War medal alleged to have been worn by Mr Adderley was a copy.

READ MORE Suspended police chief's war medal '110 per cent' a copy, misconduct panel told

Mr Adderley was due to speak on the second day of the three-day hearing in Northampton. However, after a short meeting with his defence team on Wednesday afternoon (May 29), Mr Adderley’s barrister Matthew Holdcroft said his client had decided not to give evidence 'in light of legal advice given' in relation to potential criminal proceedings.

Earlier in the day Mr Holdcroft had contended that the case against Mr Adderley, put forward by John Beggs KC on behalf of the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, was built on “inference or innuendo and not investigation”.

The defence counsel had argued that some of the evidence that had been heard should be struck out but it was rejected by the legally qualified chair of the panel Callum Cowx.

Mr Adderley, a former Greater Manchester Police chief officer, was previously the head of GMP's Tameside division - a chief superintendent. He took over as head of the Northamptonshire force in 2018 after joining the police service in 1992 and serving in Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Staffordshire.

The first day of the hearing was told that he had claimed he served in the Royal Navy for 10 years when he had served for only two, had 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.

Giving evidence on the second day of the hearing, at Northampton Saints Stadium, Ministry of Defence medal expert Mr Chris Hayward said the medal he was asked to examine was of “poorer quality” compared with official SAMs.

Chris Hayward, who has worked at the MoD for nearly 30 years and in its medal office for 15 years, told the hearing that during his career, he has inspected 'hundreds, if not thousands' of South Atlantic Medals (SAMs), which were awarded to British military personnel and civilians for service in the Falklands conflict.

He said that, in his view, a SAM sent to him by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which was allegedly voluntarily handed over by Nick Adderley, of Northamptonshire Police, at the end of his IOPC interview in October 2023, was not genuine.

Mr Adderley, a former Greater Manchester Police chief officer, has claimed the medal he had been pictured wearing several times since at least 2010 was given to him by his brother when he emigrated.

Earlier in the day Mr Holdcroft had contended that the case against Mr Adderley, put forward by John Beggs KC on behalf of the Office of the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, was built on “inference or innuendo and not investigation”.

With Mr Adderley no longer due to give evidence, closing arguments will be made on Thursday morning (May 30)

The hearing continues.