Quitting police chief remains defiant

Paul Whitehouse: Once tipped as a future head of the Met

A chief constable who resigned following criticism over his handling of a bungled raid in which an unarmed man was shot dead says he has no regrets.

Paul Whitehouse, chief constable of Sussex Police, resigned a day after the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, ordered his local police authority to consider sacking him to restore public confidence in the force.

Course of events

Jan '98 - police shoot James Ashley

May '98 - four officers suspended

Feb '99 - deputy chief constable suspended

March '99 - chief constable suspended

March 2001 - chief constable reinstated

June 2001 - Home secretary suggests sacking chief constable

Mr Blunkett said on Tuesday that he respected Mr Whitehouse's decision to stand down and believed it was "in the best interests of the force and the people of Sussex".

He added: "As I made clear in my recent letter to the police authority, I expect them to continue to consider what more needs to be done to restore public confidence in Sussex Police."

The chairman of Sussex Police Federation, Graham Alexander, told BBC News: "Sussex Police, as an organisation, needs to start moving forward desperately having been bogged down in some ghastly publicity."

The final straw for Mr Blunkett is believed to have been Mr Whitehouse's decision last week to promote two of the officers who were prosecuted and acquitted in the aftermath of the raid. They were also given backdated pay rises.

Mr Blunkett said the force had to learn lessons from the operation which saw alleged drugs dealer James Ashley, 39, shot by police marksman Chris Sherwood at his flat in St Leonards in January 1998.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said on Tuesday: "David Blunkett is not going to duck making decisions he believes are necessary to make sure the public continue to have confidence in the police.

When concerns are raised as a result of police action, they have got to be addressed properly and as swiftly as possible in a way that can command public support

Prime Minister, Tony Blair

"Everyone recognises that policing is a tough job and that it requires difficult decisions to be made by officers quickly.

"When concerns are raised as a result of police action, they have got to be addressed properly and as swiftly as possible in a way that can command public support."

Ashley, originally from Liverpool, had a conviction for manslaughter and Sussex Police said at the time that he was wanted in connection with a stabbing at a pub in the town.

It transpired that he had in fact been to pull the assailant off the victim.

Heavily criticised

Mr Ashley was naked in bed with his girlfriend when officers burst in.

Mr Whitehouse was heavily criticised for the way he handled the aftermath of the raid.

The chief constable was suspended and reinstated following the shooting, while his deputy Mark Jordan, who gave the go-ahead for the raid, remains suspended.

What we have to recognise is that if we wish police officers to go and confront armed and dangerous men they will have to carry firearms

Paul Whitehouse

But in an interview with BBC News 24, Mr Whitehouse said: "Everyone has to leave and because I have so many things I want to do I am looking forward to those rather than looking back with regrets.

"I know Sussex Police has progressed under my leadership and is a better force than when I arrived and that is the only thing I could have achieved."

He said he alone took the decision to quit and had not been pressurised by the home secretary or the police authority.

He said: "Although people have condemned me, they have never demonstrated with evidence that I behaved improperly.

"I have always behaved honestly, with integrity throughout."

'Welcome news'

He also defended the use of armed police and said: "What we have to recognise is that if we wish police officers to go and confront armed and dangerous men they will have to carry firearms."

In a statement he said he would retire from the force on 25 September.

Mr Ashley's mother, Eileen, welcomed Mr Whitehouse's resignation.

She said: "This is very welcome news. This is something we've been waiting for a long time and it has really made our day.

We have been writing to Sussex Police demanding an apology for three years

Tony Ashley
Victim's brother

"Obviously nothing can bring James back and we still miss him terribly.

"But somebody has to pay for the dreadful mistakes on that day and Whitehouse was the boss."

James Ashley's brother Tony, 32, also welcomed news of the home secretary's intervention.

He said: "We have been writing to Sussex Police demanding an apology for three years now, and we still have not heard anything.

"It's about time action was taken."

The family is continuing to pursue a civil case against Sussex Police.