Police chief ‘was suspended for lack of control in abuse probe’

Giving his second day of evidence to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry yesterday, Mr Walker was repeatedly asked about the circumstances which led to Mr Power’s suspension in 2008.

The former politician told the inquiry that Mr Power had ‘seriously underperformed’ during Operation Rectangle – the police investigation into historical child abuse – and that his removal had been inevitable.

The suspension of Mr Power by the then Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Andrew Lewis, proved controversial amid claims that it was not properly carried out.

An independent report by Brian Napier QC in 2010 found that the suspension was ‘unfair’ and had been carried out without any evidence of Mr Power’s alleged incompetence.

However, Mr Walker told the inquiry that following a letter from the then deputy police chief, David Warcup, outlining why he felt Mr Power had failed during Operation Rectangle, Deputy Lewis was left with little alternative but to suspend the police chief.

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