A newly elected £79,000-a-year police commissioner is facing criticism for announcing a 127-date national theatre tour. Opposition parties have questioned how Reform UK’s Colin Sutton will be able to focus on his job overseeing Norfolk Police, which he was elected to in July. The former detective is due to present his true-crime show in theatres across the UK next year discussing police investigations, with tickets priced at around £40. A spokeswoman for his office said the tour “would not impact upon his ability to discharge his duties”, but Labour MP Ben Goldsborough warned “you can’t police a county from the back of a tour bus”.
Sutton became one of the UK’s most high-profile detectives in the 2000s, leading the investigation to catch serial killer Levi Bellfield, who murdered Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange. After retiring from the Metropolitan Police, Sutton wrote a book about the case, which was later turned into an ITV drama. He has also become a regular commentator in the media and last year was named as Reform’s national policing and crime advisor. In July, after the former Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Sarah Taylor resigned, Sutton comfortably won the election to replace her.
PCCs are elected officials who set the priorities of a police force, appoint a chief constable and hold them to account. This week, promoters of Sutton’s “Makings of a Murderer” show announced he was set to tour the country from January to November next year. One stretch will see him visit Consett in County Durham, Tamworth in Staffordshire, Hunstanton in Norfolk, Llandudno in north Wales and Leeds over five consecutive nights. A drive from venue to venue in that run would cover almost 700 miles (1,126km).
Plan for £24m drone-busting missile factory lodged New £38m jail wing adds 10 cells – not promised 170 Hosepipe ban could last until winter, firm says South Norfolk MP Goldsborough criticised Sutton’s decision and said: “If Colin Sutton wants to be a celebrity that’s his choice, but Norfolk deserves a police and crime commissioner whose first priority is Norfolk.” Matthew Taylor, a Conservative county councillor who finished second in the PCC election, said he was “shocked” to learn of the former detective’s plans for a long run in theatres. “If there is a major incident, you would expect the police and crime commissioner to be there, front and centre,” he said. “Not operationally, that’s down to the chief constable, but in terms of lending his support, communicating with the public, being active and visible.” The BBC has asked Sutton for comment. A spokeswoman for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk said his activities were “being undertaken in a private capacity…in his own time” and that he would “remain available and contactable should any business require his attention”.
“Based on these assurances, we are satisfied that appropriate arrangements are in place and that there is no adverse impact on the performance of the commissioner’s official responsibilities,” she added. Next week Sutton is due to launch a public consultation on policing priorities for Norfolk. Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.
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