The Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police has been hit with a £50,000 fine for contempt of court, following a damning ruling from senior judges who condemned his force's "wilfully disobedient" behaviour in a case involving a wrongful arrest.
A Four-Year Legal Battle Over Video Evidence
The case centres on Nadine Buzzard-Quashie, who was arrested by three Northamptonshire officers in September 2021. Although the prosecution against her was quickly dropped, it triggered a four-year legal saga as she sought to obtain video footage of her arrest, including crucial evidence from police body-worn cameras.
Despite orders from both the Information Commissioner’s Office and a county court judge, Northamptonshire Police repeatedly failed to comply. The force's legal counsel, Dijen Basu KC, admitted in court that over the four-year period, the force had breached every single order made against it, describing their conduct as "shocking" and "utterly inexcusable".
Court's Withering Condemnation and Apology
At a hearing before three senior judges - Lady Justice Asplin, Lord Justice Coulson and Lord Justice Fraser - Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet appeared in person and in uniform to apologise. He told the court: "The failure of my force has been appalling," adding that he had been left speechless by the "numerous errors" and the hurt caused to Ms Buzzard-Quashie, who had represented herself for most of the legal proceedings.
The judges revealed that one video clip, which police had previously claimed did not exist, had in fact been viewed by officers and ultimately vindicated Ms Buzzard-Quashie's concerns about her arrest. They noted that her tenacity and resilience were the only reasons the matter had "seen the light of day".
Consequences and Ongoing Investigations
While the court decided against imprisoning Balhatchet, they imposed the substantial fine to "reflect the seriousness of the case". The judges determined that a public finding of contempt alone was insufficient given the prolonged nature of the police force's disobedience.
The matter has now been referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). An IOPC spokesperson confirmed they would investigate two staff members and one senior police officer, though not the Chief Constable himself. The investigation will focus on their engagement with the courts and subsequent statements provided as evidence during the proceedings.
Basu told the court that last week's condemnation had represented a "public humiliation and shaming" for the force, while Balhatchet pledged that it was his responsibility to ensure such failures "never happen again".
