Kevin Nunes murder: Second top cop cleared over investigation fiasco
A second top police officer has been told he has no case to answer over the botched Kevin Nunes murder investigation.
Adrian Lee, now Chief Constable at Northamptonshire, will not face disciplinary action over the investigation that saw five men have their murder convictions quashed after police failings were exposed.
The decision was taken by Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds.
It comes as Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said Temporary Chief Constable Jane Sawyers should not face misconduct or gross misconduct charges.
Mr Simmonds said: "Following substantial and detailed legal advice I have found all the allegations of misconduct and gross misconduct against Adrian Lee to be without substance and there is no case to answer.
"It is the clear view of my legal team that there is no evidence to suggest or prove misconduct of any kind. Indeed that there is no evidence of misconduct having ever taken place.
"There is no evidence to conclude a hearing or continue this matter any further.
"As far as I am concerned the matter is now finally closed."
A total of 14 former and serving Staffordshire officers were investigated as part of Operation Kalmia, led by Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
All were told last year they would face no criminal charges - but six serving officers still had the possibility of facing internal disciplinary action.
Ch Con Lee, was previously assistant, deputy, and acting chief constable at Staffordshire.
He said: "We have reached a point where it is now clear that there was no substance to the allegations made against me. I have always known this - it is regrettable that it has taken others over three years to reach the same conclusion."
Mr Nunes, aged 20, was found gunned down in an execution-style murder in a Pattingham country lane in September 2002.
Five men were jailed for his murder in 2008 after an extensive investigation. Levi Walker, from Birmingham, Adam Joof, from Willenhall, Owen Crooks and Michael Osbourne, both of Wolverhampton, and Antonio Christie, of Great Bridge, were locked up.
But their convictions were quashed after they were deemed 'unsafe' when a series of failings by the police were exposed.
IPCC spokesman Mark Pearson said: "Following completion of the managed investigation, we provided relevant Police and Crime Commissioners and Staffordshire Police with a report detailing the investigation findings. These included whether or not a number of serving officers have a case to answer for either misconduct or gross misconduct and should face disciplinary proceedings.
"We have so far received responses from the Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and Staffordshire PCCs as well as Staffordshire Police. We will consider the responses as soon as they are all received."
