Richard Brunstrom snubs chance to apologise over “offensive remarks”

Police chief Richard Brunstrom has snubbed the chance to avoid action against him by the North Wales Police Authority.

Brunstrom needed only apologise to a member of the public whom the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) ruled had a case to complain over alleged “offensive remarks” by the police chief.

But the notorious head of North Wales Police missed the deadline set – and now the police authority must press ahead with the complaint against him.

The IPCC instructed the police authority in February to act over comments made by Brunstrom to Idris Francis, who spent years challenging a speeding case on a point of law.

Brunstrom had written to Francis: “The world would be a much better place if people like you a) obeyed the law and b) owned up when caught breaking it. Your attempt to thwart justice is dishonourable and sets a pathetic example to younger drivers. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

The commission ruled the police authority should record Francis’ complaint over the remarks and ensure that “matters are dealt with accordingly”.

But Francis later told the police authority he would drop his complaint if Brunstrom apologised by April 23.

After that date passed with no word from the police chief, Francis wrote to the police authority: “As that deadline has now passed I write to confirm that I wish my complaint to be put formally to your Authority, without further delay and, in the interest of clarity, that my offer to settle is withdrawn.”