Blunkett calls for dismissal of chief constable

The Home Secretary put unprecedented pressure on a police authority yesterday to dismiss its chief constable over the fatal shooting of a naked and unarmed man during a disastrous drugs raid.

Urging Sussex Police Authority "to take whatever steps are necessary to restore public confidence", David Blunkett said this should include consideration of whether the Chief Constable, Paul Whitehouse, should be sacked.

Mr Blunkett also confirmed that he had invited the family of the dead man, James Ashley, 39, to the Home Office to discuss a public inquiry into the shooting in January 1998. The family has been vocal in its criticism of the force for the way it conducted the armed raid and is furious that no officer had been convicted over his death.

Mr Whitehouse and other senior officers have been criticised in a series of investigations by other police forces for the planning and conduct of an armed raid on a flat in St Leonards, East Sussex, in which Mr Ashley was shot.

Five officers who were charged in connection with the death of Mr Ashley, who was in bed when officers burst in, were cleared of any criminal offence. In what was seen as a gesture of defiance, Mr Whitehouse promoted two of the men last week. Mr Blunkett signalled that it was this – the promotion to chief inspector of Kevin French and Christopher Siggs, who were both charged with criminal misconduct – that prompted his intervention. The officers were both cleared but could still face disciplinary proceedings.

Mr Blunkett said: "The shooting incident, the issues which emerged during the subsequent investigations and criminal proceedings, the reasons for the discontinuance of the trial, and the promotion of two officers who may yet face disciplinary proceedings have given rise to grave public concern."

He highlighted the powers available to the authority members "including whether the police authority believes that it would be right to use its powers ... to require the Chief Constable to step down". No home secretary in recent times is believed to have issued such a strong signal to a police authority, a lay body that oversees the work of a force, to sack its chief constable.

Mr Whitehouse did not address his immediate future yesterday but indicated his unwillingness to be pushed aside by launching a vigorous defence of his force. "Not all the facts relating to the death of James Ashley have yet been made public," he said. "We remain determined and committed to preventing and detecting crime in Sussex and will not be deflected from this priority."

Mr Whitehouse had been seen as one of the country's most progressive and highly rated police chiefs and was touted as an outsider for the job of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Britain's biggest police force. But his reputation was badly tarnished by an inquiry into the St Leonards shooting led by Sir John Hoddinott, the Chief Constable of Hampshire.

The aim of the raid was to seize cocaine alleged to have been delivered to the flat, arrest another man and recover a cache of weapons. Sir John condemned Mr Whitehouse and other senior officers for trying to justify the shooting. He said he found "prima facie evidence" of wilful neglect by Mr Whitehouse. Police had been told that Mr Ashley was dangerous and could be armed, but no guns were found. Investi-gations later revealed that senior officers were ill-trained for the operation, which was based on discredited methods.

In a statement yesterday, the police authority said it "will be considering the issues most carefully and will respond directly to the Home Secretary".