Former Staffordshire police boss in Kevin Nunes case to retire

Suzette Davenport was one of 14 officers investigated for her involvement in the case which saw the murder convictions of five men overturned.

The men were jailed in 2008 for a 2002 firing squad-style killing of Nunes. An Independent Police Complaints Commission found serious failings by detectives led to their convictions being overturned in 2012.

But Assistant Chief Constable Davenport was cleared of any wrongdoing by the IPCC in March last year, following a four-year inquiry.

She went on to become chief constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary in 2013, becoming the first woman to land the top role.

And this week it was announced that Mrs Davenport, aged 54, will be leaving her role in April after a total of more than 30 years' police service.

It was a murder investigation in which Staffordshire Police has admitted some of its officers 'did not meet its standards'.

Kevin Nunes' was pistol-whipped and shot five times in a country lane in Pattingham, near Wolverhampton, in 2002.

Five years later, in 2008, Adam Joof of Willenhall, Levi Walker of Birmingham, Antonio Christie of Great Bridge, and Owen Crooks and Michael Osbourne both of Wolverhampton were jailed, after being found guilty of the 20-year-old's death at Leicester Crown Court.

But their convictions and subsequent life jail terms were quashed in at the High Court in 2012, after it was revealed details of police failings had never been disclosed at the original murder trial.

They included concerns from former Detective Inspector Joe Anderson over the 'management of witnesses' in the case, as well as the handling of police informants, and 'unacceptable practices' on expenses.

A total of 14 Staffordshire officers, including Chief Constable Jane Sawyers, were investigated after the murder convictions were quashed.

None faced criminal charges even though a senior judge described it as 'a serious perversion of the course of justice'.

One junior rank officer has faced disciplinary action.

The investigation into the force's handling of the case, known as Operation Kalmia, was completed two years ago but is yet to be published.

However, the Costello Report – the document of concerns from former Det Insp Anderson not shown at original trial – was published following a year-long campaign by the Express & Star.

Prior to working at Staffordshire Police, Mrs Davenport had worked at the Home Office in 2005 before transferring to the West Midlands, where she led the force on intelligence and neighbourhood policing.

Ms Davenport said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our officers and staff for all their hard work, dedication and support over the last four years.

"I am privileged to lead great people in a fabulous organisation and while we have faced some tough challenges we have had some major successes in tackling the issues that really affect our communities.

"I always said this would be my last role in policing and to have served as Gloucestershire's chief constable has not only been the highlight of my career but the greatest possible honour."

Ms Davenport was appointed as Gloucestershire's first female chief constable in 2013 by Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl.

Of her retirement, he said: "It was always expected Suzette would retire in 2017 and with other senior officers also coming up to retirement, she has made the honourable decision to go now in order to allow her successor to have a say in the appointment of a new executive team.

"She has had a remarkable career at local, regional and national level.

"I would like to thank her personally, and on behalf of the county, for her dedication and commitment during one of the most turbulent periods in the constabulary's history."

Ms Davenport was vice president of the British Association for Women in Policing for eight years and was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2016.