Meredydd Hughes

Meredydd Hughes

Meredydd Hughes QPM was a Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police. He took up the post on 1 September 2004.[1]

Career overview

Hughes started his career at South Wales Constabulary in 1979, and was transferred to West Yorkshire Police in 1995 to a position of Superintendent. He was again promoted in 1999 to the rank of Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police. In 2002 he moved to South Yorkshire Police to take over the position of Deputy Chief Constable, before becoming the force's Chief Constable in 2004.[1] He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2006.[2]

During his career Hughes has held a number of operational responsibilities, including work as a firearms officer, IT Project manager, and Silver Commander of games held at Leeds United A.F.C. As a senior manager, he has been responsible for Operational Support, Uniform Operations, Press & PR, Professional Standards and Information Systems during various stages of his career.[1]

As a member of ACPO, he was the Chair of Roads Policing Enforcement Technology Committee and Vice chair of the National Operations Forum and Chair of the Drivers Project (placing new databases such as Drivers and motor insurance records on PNC), until resigning the post in December 2007.[1]

Traffic controversy

Hughes has attracted considerable press attention through being prosecuted for Road Traffic Offences, particularly as he was Chair of the Roads Policing Enforcement Technology Committee for ACPO, and is an outspoken supporter of hidden and mobile Speed Cameras.[3] He resigned his ACPO chair as a result of the speeding conviction made on December 5, 2007. His offences include:

  • Failing to identify the driver of one of South Yorkshire Police's vehicles caught breaking the speed limit.[4] This led to the unusual situation of the Chief Constable prosecuting himself.
  • Two personal convictions for exceeding the speed limit, leading to fines and his licence being endorsed with 6 penalty points.[3]
  • A 42-day driving ban and fine imposed by Wrexham Magistrates Court for exceeding the speed limit in North Wales, on December 5, 2007.[5][6][7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes". South Yorkshire Police. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20070816234702/http://www.southyorks.police.uk/foi/information_classes/whos_who/sct/bio.php?id=1. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  2. ^ "New Year Honours 2006". Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year_Honours_2006#England_and_Wales. Retrieved 2007-11-21. 
  3. ^ a b Gadher, Dipesh (2005-10-30). "Top traffic cop has speed convictions". Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article584507.ece. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  4. ^ Stokes, Paul (2006-12-29). "Leading traffic officer fined over speed offence". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/29/ndriving129.xml. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  5. ^ "Police chief faces speeding case". BBC News. 2007-10-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7069289.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  6. ^ "Police chief’s speeding case adjourned". icWales.co.uk. 2007-11-21. http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2007/11/21/police-chief-s-speeding-case-adjourned-91466-20140168/. Retrieved 2007-11-22. 
  7. ^ "90mph police chief's driving ban". BBC News. 2007-12-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7128548.stm. Retrieved 2007-12-05. 
  8. ^ "Chief Constable in court for road offences". WikiNews.org. 2007-12-05. http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Chief_Constable_in_court_for_road_offences. Retrieved 2007-12-05. 
Police appointments
Preceded by
Mike Hedges		 Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police
2004 – Present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent


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