Medal allegedly worn by police chief Nick Adderley was a copy, panel told

A medal expert has told a misconduct panel he is “110% sure” a Falklands War medal alleged to have been worn by a suspended chief constable was a copy.

Northamptonshire Police’s Nick Adderley is accused of claiming to be a Falklands veteran, even though he was only 15 when the war started.

He has denied misconduct, but will not give evidence to the panel on the advice of his defence team.

The decision means closing arguments will be made on Thursday morning.

Chris Hayward, who has worked at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for 30 years, said he had inspected “hundreds, if not thousands” of South Atlantic Medals.

The honours were awarded to British military personnel and civilians for service in the Falklands conflict, which began in April 1982.

On Tuesday, the first day of the hearing was told Mr Adderley claimed to have served in the Royal Navy for 10 years but had only served for two; that he attended the prestigious Britannia Royal Naval College, despite his application being rejected; and that he had been a military negotiator in Haiti, when he had never been to the country.

Mr Adderley has claimed the South Atlantic Medal he had been pictured wearing several times since at least 2010 was given to him by his brother when he emigrated.

But Mr Hayward said in his view, the medal sent him by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which was allegedly voluntarily handed over by Mr Adderley at the end of his IOPC interview last October, was not genuine.