Court of Appeal fines police chief £50,000 for repeated breaches of court orders
The chief constable of Northamptonshire Police has been fined £50,000 for contempt of court after the Court of Appeal ruled that his force failed to comply with orders requiring the disclosure of body-worn camera footage. The penalty was imposed today following a half-day hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Chief constable Ivan Balhatchet was found in contempt last week over Northamptonshire Police’s failure to comply with orders issued first by the county court and later by the Court of Appeal. Giving judgment, Lord Justice Fraser said the breaches were serious enough to require a sanction beyond the finding of contempt itself. He was supported in his judgment by Lord Justice Coulson and Lady Justice Asplin.
At the start of the hearing, Balhatchet stood in court and apologised to businesswoman Nadine Buzzard-Quashie, whose complaint led to the disclosure orders. In his statement, he said he believed he had been “let down” by the solicitor acting for him during the process, particularly in relation to meeting the deadline to serve his statement on 5 November 2025.
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Lord Justice Fraser set out several aggravating factors relating to the breaches. He said the non-compliance had continued “over such a very long period” both before and after the Court of Appeal’s first hearing. He also noted that “directly inaccurate and incorrect statements” had been made repeatedly by multiple personnel across that time.
He said the £50,000 fine “properly reflects the gravity of the situation”, while acknowledging that it would be paid from Northamptonshire Police’s existing budget.
During the judgment, Lord Justice Fraser also referred to statements served “so late” on behalf of the chief constable, which showed that a decision had been taken in the week of 9 November to instruct a new solicitor. Simon Staples had been replaced by Malcolm Turner, with the court told that “an entirely fresh approach” had been required, including new personnel providing evidence on the chief constable’s behalf.
Lord Justice Fraser said a further sanction was “undoubtedly called for” given the seriousness of the matter and the extent of the order breaches.
Following the judgment, Lady Justice Asplin thanked all those who had appeared before the court, noting in particular the work of those who had represented parties on a pro bono basis. She also acknowledged the “tenacity, resilience and determination” shown by Buzzard-Quashie, who was arrested in 2021 by three officers but was never charged.
The hearing concluded with the court confirming the financial penalty and the reasons for imposing it, marking the latest development in a dispute that has spanned multiple hearings and repeated court orders.