CPS will not prosecute former Cambs police and crime commissioner Jason Ablewhite
The former police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire, Jason Ablewhite, will not be prosecuted following allegations relating to an exchange on social media.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said today (Tuesday, April 21) that, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), it has decided not to prosecute Mr Ablewhite.
An appeal has been made against its decision not to prosecute, the CPS has confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: “We can confirm that the Crown Prosecution Service has decided to take no further action after we submitted a file of evidence from our investigation into a complaint against the former police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire.
“We have now informed all interested parties of the decision. The complainant now has the option to exercise their right to review the decision.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further until the process is complete.”
Mr Ablewhite, from St Ives, resigned from his role as the police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire and as a Conservative councillor for Huntingdonshire District Council in November last year after allegations against him were made to the police.
The IOPC said at the time that initial information indicated the former commissioner had exchanged a series of messages with an adult member of the public on social media.
Mr Ablewhite, who had also previously served as a Conservative leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, has not publicly commented on the allegations.
The chief executive of the office of the police and crime commissioner, Dorothy Gregson, sent a letter to members of the Cambridgeshire police and crime panel in November saying: “On the November 6, 2019, [Dorothy Gregson, chief executive of the OPCC] received communication from Cambridgeshire Constabulary in relation to an allegation regarding the commissioner which they had assessed to be of a criminal nature.”
Mr Ablewhite was not arrested or charged with any offence.
