BRITAIN: The British Home Secretary yesterday won a 10-day battle to have a regional police chief suspended in the wake of stinging criticism over his force's conduct in the Soham murder inquiry.
A High Court judge slapped down the Humberside Police Authority, which had launched a mutiny against a direct order from Mr David Blunkett to suspend its Chief Constable, Mr David Westwood.
Mr Justice Stanley Burnton instructed the authority to suspend the police chief "forthwith" at the end of a short hearing in London, adding that it was "in default of its statutory duty".
The judge also refused the authority leave to appeal. Mr Westwood's solicitor confirmed his client had been suspended with immediate effect.
The decision came after the Home Secretary's lawyer told the court the police authority was "simply flouting the law".
In a statement issued within minutes of the ruling, Mr Blunkett said: "I am very pleased that the court has established that our interpretation of the law was absolutely correct and that Humberside Police Authority should have abided by my requirement for suspension from the beginning.
"I now want a proper and full response from Humberside Police Authority on the very serious and substantial issues raised in the Bichard report which should have begun 10 days ago."
Mr Westwood's solicitor, Mr Stephen Parkinson, said: "Today the court has made an order declaring that the Humberside Police Authority is under a duty to suspend Mr Westwood. In the circumstances the authority has no option but to comply.
"Mr Westwood is grateful for the expression of confidence in him this morning by the representatives of the local community, the Humberside Police Authority, but nevertheless as a result of the Home Secretary's action he is suspended with immediate effect."
Mr Westwood would not be making any further comment, he added.
Mr Blunkett first issued his demand after the Humberside force and the Chief Constable were criticised last week in Sir Michael Bichard's Soham report.
His inquiry uncovered a series of failures which allowed Soham child-killer Ian Huntley to get a job as a school caretaker despite having a string of sex allegations recorded against him when he lived in Humberside.
Huntley went on to murder 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002. It remains to be seen if Mr Westwood will lose his job.