Home / Crime and Justice / Top Cop Probed for Perverting Justice
Top Cop Probed for Perverting Justice
1 May
Summary
- Officer investigated for perverting justice in arrest footage case.
- Chief Constable fined £300,000 for contempt of court.
- Audit logs prove police falsely claimed footage did not exist.
A senior police officer and two colleagues from Northamptonshire Police are facing a criminal investigation. The probe concerns allegations of perverting the course of justice related to evidence provided during legal proceedings. These proceedings were initiated by Nadine Buzzard-Quashie, who sought body-worn video footage of her September 2021 arrest in Northampton.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is overseeing the investigation into the officers' conduct, which could also amount to gross misconduct. Buzzard-Quashie had pursued legal action against the force's Chief Constable, Ivan Balhatchet, for contempt of court after repeated refusals to release the footage.
In November 2025, Balhatchet was found guilty of contempt at the Court of Appeal, marking a significant ruling against a chief constable, and was ordered to pay almost £300,000. Audit logs later revealed that police had falsely stated the requested footage did not exist. Buzzard-Quashie is now pursuing a seven-figure damages claim for assault and wrongful arrest, with her civil trial scheduled for April 2027.
