A former police leader has been found to have committed serious misconduct after making sexual comments about the widow of a police officer.
John Apter, former president of the Police Federation of England and Wales, is said to have told colleagues he wanted to “comfort” Lissie Harper in her hotel room months after her husband Andrew's death.
Hampshire Police Disciplinary Tribunal ruled on Friday that Mr Apter committed gross misconduct by making sexual comments.
Apter also allegedly said of Harper: “I don't mind taking care of her tonight.”
In early 2019, a man was found not guilty of telling a pregnant woman that her butt might hurt. The woman told the hearing that Apter was the victim of a witch hunt and was a “really nice person”.
He was also found not guilty of touching the buttocks of a younger female colleague. Ms Apter told the hearing that she only scratched her back because she complained of itching.
Detective Inspector Andrew Harper, who was part of the Thames Valley force, died in August 2019, four weeks after his wedding, after he was dragged behind a car for more than a mile after trying to stop a quad bike theft. The man's leg was caught in a tow rope attached to the car used by the robbers, and he died from his injuries.
Lissie Harper was made an MBE in 2022 for her work campaigning to strengthen his memorable legislation, known as Harper's Law.
Cecily White, the lawyer who filed the lawsuit against Apter in September, said Apter's “sexist and derogatory” statements and his actions show a clear pattern.
The tribunal's legally qualified president, Giles Pengelly, said of Mr Apter's conduct: “The comments about Lissie Harper have been proven and proven to rise to the level of gross misconduct.'' We are making a judgment.”
The committee, based at Hampshire Police's strategic headquarters in Eastleigh, heard Apter's comments about Harper during a staff “gathering” during preparations for the annual Road Policing Conference awards ceremony in January 2020. It was ruled that it did.
Mr Apter denies the three charges and an investigation was ordered by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Apter was suspended by the Police Federation in December 2021 and also suspended by Hampshire Constabulary.
He joined the force in 1992 and spoke out against the use of sexist nicknames in 2021 following the murder of Sarah Everard by a current police officer.
He wrote in the Sunday Times: “Misogyny is not just a women’s problem, it’s a problem for all of us. Too often there is silence when things like this happen, and by this inaction we are hurting each other and wider society. You will lose it.
“We need to history the part of cafeteria culture where sexist nicknames and derogatory remarks are made. When a joke crosses the line into something sexist, derogatory, or homophobic , it's no longer a joke.”
He told the hearing that he disputed inappropriate conduct by police officers and stood by his public comments about misogyny.
At the hearing, former federation executive Jamie Simpson spoke of the “blatant hypocrisy” at the top of the organization. She said: “While they lecture members about sexism and misogyny, some of the things I've heard… are the same people saying about women involved in the organization, and even the widows of board members. It's disgusting,” he said.
The hearing was adjourned for the panel to consider sanctions against Apter.
