Stephen Mark Turner (born October 1971[1]) a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner from 2021 to 2024. He was elected on 13 May 2021, for the Conservative Party. He was replaced by Matthew Stephen Storey in May 2024.[2]
Steve Turner | |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner | |
| In office 13 May 2021 – 8 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Lisa Oldroyd (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Matt Storey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stephen Mark Turner October 1971 (age 53) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Other political affiliations | UKIP (before 2017) |
| Spouse | Andrea Turner |
Background
editPrior to being elected as PCC for Cleveland, Steve Turner was the chief of staff for two MPs.[3] He earlier worked for Safeway as a manager, but resigned in the early 1990s after accepting a police caution for handling stolen goods.[4][5][6] Turner was elected as a UKIP Councillor for the Longbeck Ward of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council on 7 May 2015 after receiving 19.8% of the vote.[7][8] He defected to the Conservative Party in 2017.[9]
Police and crime commissioner
editIn May 2021, Turner stood as the Conservative Party candidate in the Cleveland PCC election and was elected after winning 54% of votes in the first round.[9] Turner assumed the role on 13 May, replacing the acting PCC, Lisa Oldroyd.
In September 2021, Labour MP Andy McDonald named Turner in parliament using Parliamentary privilege wrongly alleging Turner was sacked from a previous employer for "systematic theft".[10] Turner later admitted that he received a police caution in the 1990s for handling £15 of stolen goods, and voluntarily resigned from his position of store manager at Safeway in Norton.[6][5]
In November 2021, it was reported that Turner was being investigated over a historical sexual assault claim.[11][12] The investigation was being managed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and conducted by a force external to Cleveland Police.[13] Turner rejected calls to resign over the claim, maintaining his complete innocence, and was not suspended from the Conservative Party despite calls from the Labour Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds.[14] In May 2022 the investigation was discontinued with no action taken against him.[15]
In May 2023, Turner stood for election as a councillor on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council alongside his PCC role.[16] Turner finished 5th out of 6 candidates with 12% of the vote.[17] His wife also failed to be elected.[18]
At the same election, it was alleged by Sky News, that he had used his position as Police & Crime Commissioner to investigate at least two opposition Labour candidates, and one unnamed extra.[19] Turner strongly denied this and a subsequent complaint to the police and crime panel resulted in no action on any wrongdoing being taken. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael has called on Turner to resign, or for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to suspend Turner's membership.[20]
Personal life
editTurner is married to former Redcar and Cleveland Borough Councillor Andrea Turner[21] and has three adult sons. He is also a grandfather.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Stephen Mark TURNER personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ "About your commissioner". Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Steve Turner". www.apccs.police.uk. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland police chief Steve Turner referred to watchdog". BBC. 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
- ^ a b Arnold, Stuart (11 November 2021). "Cleveland PCC Steve Turner reveals what previous police caution was for". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Cleveland PCC admits he received a police caution while working at a supermarket". ITV News. 21 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
- ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Longbeck Ward". Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Gullon, Nick (24 April 2017). "UKIP chairman defects to Conservatives weeks before election". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Cleveland PCC 2021: Conservative Steve Turner wins with more than 74,000 votes". BBC News. 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland police and crime chief Steve Turner admits accepting caution". BBC News. 22 September 2021. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland police and crime chief Steve Turner faces 'sexual assault claim'". BBC News. 4 November 2021. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Wearmouth, Rachel (4 November 2021). "Tory police boss Steve Turner faces investigation over serious sexual assault allegation". Daily Mirror. London. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Hetherington, Graeme (9 November 2021). "Steve Turner: Police boss refuses to quit in explosive 600-word statement aimed at enemies". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland PCC Steve Turner will not resign over sex assault claim". BBC News. 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ "Investigation into alleged conduct of PCC Steve Turner discontinued". 23 May 2022.
- ^ Arnold, Stuart (16 April 2023). "Steve Turner hits back at 'playing councillor' jibe and PCC role". TeessideLive. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "2023 Election Results | Redcar and Cleveland". www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "Police and crime commissioner and his wife miss out in council election vote". The Independent. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ "Tory crime commissioner triggered two police investigations into political opponents during local elections bid". Sky News. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ^ "https://twitter.com/samcoatessky/status/1657318283454869508". Twitter. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ Arnold, Stuart (10 November 2021). "Steve Turner says 'damaging' sex allegation was leaked for political gain". TeessideLive. Retrieved 22 February 2022.