Death of Dr. David Kelly - Letter of Complaint to Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel

Long time followers of this blog will be aware that on 28th October 2010 I formally reported to Thames Valley Police that I, as a retired doctor, considered it likely that Dr. David Kelly had been murdered.

I contacted Thames Valley Police on the basis of my reading of the postmortem and toxicology reports that the Ministry of Justice had released on 22nd October 2010.

A long correspondence has ensued with nothing honest and effective being done by Thames Valley Police.

Subsequently the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld, has acted contrary to the Law by failing to refer to the Indepenent Police Complaints Commission alleged perversion of the course of justice by Chief Constable Sara Thornton.

Today I sent the following letter as a formal complaint to Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel.

Will they be any less useless than Chief Constable Thornton and Anthony Stansfeld? Time will tell.

19^th February 2014

Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel

Dear Sir/Madam,

Formal Complaint re the conduct of Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner

Concealment of perversion of the course of justice by Chief Constable Thornton

URN 514 of 28^th October 2010

I am writing following a chance contact on Twitter in which it was indicated to me that Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel might consider my complaint regarding Anthony Stansfeld.

I ask the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel to investigate what I believe to be, at a minimum, gross misconduct by Anthony Stansfeld, Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner

Brief Summary of events

On 28^th October 2010 I telephoned Thames Valley Police to report a suspected murder – that of Dr. David Kelly.

I did so as a retired medical practitioner having carefully studied the postmortem and toxicology reports released by the Ministry of Justice on 22^nd October 2010.

At no time since I reported the suspected murder has Thames Valley Police taken even the elementary step of taking a formal statement from me.

On multiple occasions I wrote to Chief Constable Thornton, Deputy Chief Constable Habgood and Assistant Chief Constable Ball asking them to investigate and providing further information about the need to do so.

On 25^th May 2013 (copy enclosed) I wrote a letter jointly to the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner and others asking Mr. Stansfeld to have an independent Police force investigate the alleged perversion of the course of justice by Chief Constable Thornton.

At that time I did not appreciate that referral to the IPCC was the course required by Law. However, Mr. Stansfeld failed, so far as I’m aware, to take any meaningful action in response to my letter, failing even to send me an acknowledgement.

On 8^th July 2013 (copy enclosed) I wrote again to the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner asking him to refer the matter of the alleged perversion of the course of justice by Chief Constable Thornton to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

In that letter I set out the basis in Law which required him to refer the matter to the IPCC without delay.

I received a two line acknowledgement dated 9^th July 2013. I think that this was prompted by a phone call from me, but I cannot currently find my notes of the conversation.

At no time since I wrote to him in May and July 2013 has, so far as I can ascertain, Mr. Stansfeld acted so as to comply with the requirements of the applicable Law.

I view Mr. Stansfelds’ failings as constituting gross misconduct, at a minimum.

The concealment of an allegation of perversion of the course of justice by the Chief Constable exacerbates the serious of Mr. Stansfeld’s misconduct in my eyes.

Is Mr. Stansfeld’s conduct criminal?

In my view Mr. Stansfeld has prevented proper investigation of the allegation that Chief Constable Sara Thornton has perverted the course of justice with respect to URN 514 of 28^th October 2010.

It is my opinion that, depending on the facts disclosed by full investigation, Mr. Stansfeld’s conduct may constitute the crimes of perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office or conspiracy to commit one or both of the foregoing offences.

Who do I report the suspected crimes to? Chief Constable Thornton is unlikely to be keen to investigate. Many months ago I asked her to have an external Police force to investigate. Needless to say, nothing visible happened.

Actions requested of the PCP

I ask that you promptly acknowledge receipt of this letter. I would prefer hard copy.

I ask that you consider requiring both the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable to a public meeting with the PCP. If you decide not to hold such a meeting in public I would appreciate a detailed justification for such a decision.

I also ask that I receive copies of all documents provided to the PCP by either Mr. Stansfeld and Chief Constable Thornton. In part I ask that since there is a substantial body of correspondence and I wish to minimise the possibility of the PCP being misled.

If a meeting is to be held and it would be possible for me to attend I would appreciate sufficient advance warning to maximise the likelihood that I could attend.

Yours sincerely

(Dr) Andrew Watt

cc Keith Vaz MP, Home Affairs Select Committee (for information)