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| South Yorkshire chief constable's resignation-call 'unlawful' | South Yorkshire chief constable's resignation-call 'unlawful' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A police commissioner's decision to suspend the chief constable of South Yorkshire and then ask him to resign was unlawful, the High Court has ruled. | A police commissioner's decision to suspend the chief constable of South Yorkshire and then ask him to resign was unlawful, the High Court has ruled. |
| David Crompton was suspended following the Hillsborough inquests in April 2016 with Dr Alan Billings citing an erosion of public trust and confidence in the force. | |
| Dr Billings said he was "seeking permission to appeal the outcome". | Dr Billings said he was "seeking permission to appeal the outcome". |
| Mr Crompton said the court's decision "speaks for itself". | Mr Crompton said the court's decision "speaks for itself". |
| Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire | Live updates and more stories from Yorkshire |
| "I welcome today's decision by the court to overturn the Police and Crime Commissioner's decisions first to suspend me, and then to require me to resign. The court's judgment concludes Dr Billings acted unlawfully from start to finish, branding his course of decision making 'irrational', 'perverse', 'unreasonable', 'misconceived' and 'wholly disproportionate'," Mr Crompton said. | "I welcome today's decision by the court to overturn the Police and Crime Commissioner's decisions first to suspend me, and then to require me to resign. The court's judgment concludes Dr Billings acted unlawfully from start to finish, branding his course of decision making 'irrational', 'perverse', 'unreasonable', 'misconceived' and 'wholly disproportionate'," Mr Crompton said. |
| Inquest findings | Inquest findings |
| He added that the judgment repeated "almost all of the arguments made originally by Sir Thomas Winsor [Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary] nearly a year ago in his advice under the statutory process to the Police and Crime Commissioner". | He added that the judgment repeated "almost all of the arguments made originally by Sir Thomas Winsor [Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary] nearly a year ago in his advice under the statutory process to the Police and Crime Commissioner". |
| The pair had clashed in the wake of the April 2016 inquest findings into the deaths of 96 people in the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989. | The pair had clashed in the wake of the April 2016 inquest findings into the deaths of 96 people in the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989. |
| In a statement the day after the Hillsborough inquests concluded, Mr Crompton alluded to "other contributory factors" to blame for the deaths of 96 football fans. | In a statement the day after the Hillsborough inquests concluded, Mr Crompton alluded to "other contributory factors" to blame for the deaths of 96 football fans. |
| However, the judgement said: "It would be impossible for any fair-minded observer to conclude that the Chief Constable was challenging the conclusion of the jury that Liverpool football supporters had been blameless. | However, the judgement said: "It would be impossible for any fair-minded observer to conclude that the Chief Constable was challenging the conclusion of the jury that Liverpool football supporters had been blameless. |
| "The only contributory factors identified by the jury had been the conduct of parties unconnected to Liverpool supporters." | "The only contributory factors identified by the jury had been the conduct of parties unconnected to Liverpool supporters." |
| Expensive process | Expensive process |
| Sitting in London, Lady Justice Sharp and Mr Justice Garnham ruled in Mr Crompton's favour. | Sitting in London, Lady Justice Sharp and Mr Justice Garnham ruled in Mr Crompton's favour. |
| Dr Billings said the decision had "potentially serious implications for the governance arrangements for the police service generally and not just in South Yorkshire". | Dr Billings said the decision had "potentially serious implications for the governance arrangements for the police service generally and not just in South Yorkshire". |
| He added he would consult with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) before proceeding as he recognised the process had been expensive. | He added he would consult with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) before proceeding as he recognised the process had been expensive. |
| The office of the PCC told the BBC it had incurred legal costs of £72,000 in the process. An additional £85,000 in legal fees has also been invoiced to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Judicial Review. | The office of the PCC told the BBC it had incurred legal costs of £72,000 in the process. An additional £85,000 in legal fees has also been invoiced to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Judicial Review. |
| Timeline | Timeline |