Former Peterborough and Cambs crime chief will not face prosecution over ‘explicit photo’

Jason Ablewhite quit the £85,000 a year role in November, four days after he had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct after a complaint was made to Cambridgeshire police about messages he had sent on social media.

RELATED: Ex-Peterborough crime chief quit after allegedly sending explicit photo to woman

The complaint was reportedly centred on Mr Ablewhite allegedly sending suggestive Facebook messages and an explicit photo to a 50-year-old woman.

However, the IOPC confirmed today: “We can confirm that the Crown Prosecution Service has decided to take no further action after we submitted a file of evidence from our investigation into a complaint against the former Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire.

“We have now informed all interested parties of the decision. The complainant now has the option to exercise their Right to Review the decision.

“It would not be appropriate to comment further until the process is complete.”

A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said the decision not to prosecute has been appealed.

She said: “We are aware that a decision was made by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to take no further action in relation to the investigation carried out by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) following a complaint made against the former Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire.

“We understand that all parties involved have been notified of this decision and that the complainant has decided to exercise the ‘Victim’s Right to Review’ the decision made by the CPS.

“It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Mr Ablewhite has not been arrested or charged with any offence.

The former crime commissioner has declined to comment publicly since resigning, while he has also quit as a district councillor in Huntingdon.

He was replaced as crime chief by Peterborough city councillor and former Serviceman Ray Bisby.

Elections for police and crime commissioners across the UK were due to take place in May but have been postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.