Officer resigns over BNP badge

A Greater Manchester police officer has been forced to resign after he was seen wearing a British National Party (BNP) badge at a football match.

Stuart Janaway, 36, from Irlam in Salford, wore the BNP badge to a game at Old Trafford in September 2006, while he was off duty.

A misconduct hearing was held last Friday after an investigation by the force's Professional Standards Branch.

As a result, police said Mr Janaway was "required to resign".

'High standards'

Acting Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney, head of the Professional Standards Branch, said: "Item six of the Chief Constable's Order of 2004...makes it clear that officers are banned from being members of the BNP, Combat 18 or the National Front.

"This requirement extends into the private lives of police officers and police staff."

Mr Sweeney said all officers are aware that the implications of not complying with the regulations "will likely result in [their] dismissal".

"The officer failed to live up to the high standards we demand of everyone serving in the force," he said.

Mr Janaway had served in GMP for 14 years and worked as a Pc based at Longsight.

A BNP spokesman said: "We think what police officers do in their own time is up to them.

"We trust them to be able to do their job when they're working and operate in a fair and impartial way."

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