Exclusive: Inquiry into Yorkshire police chief Grahame Maxwell cost taxpayer £100,000

North Yorkshire Police Authority and the force itself were last night urged to reveal how much taxpayers’ money they had spent on investigating Mr Maxwell – who was given a final written warning after admitting gross misconduct at the start of a disciplinary hearing – after the Independent Police Complaints Commission revealed its costs.

The IPCC said it had spent approximately £89,500 on staff time, and another £9,800 on travel and legal expenses, probing both cases, saying it was unable to separate the two. Mr Briggs, who has since retired from the force, was found to have breached the code of conduct on two counts in December, while Mr Maxwell has resisted calls to resign despite helping a relative to advance through the first stage of a recruitment process and authorising his deputy to do the same.

Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, who obtained the figures from the IPCC, said: “It is important that taxpayers know how much of their money has been spent on this investigation and I hope that the North Yorkshire Police Authority and North Yorkshire Police force are able to outline how much the process has cost them as soon as possible.

“Many people will be concerned at the cost of the investigation, money which could have been saved had the Chief Constable admitted his guilt earlier rather than at the last minute.”