A former head of the Police Federation of England and Wales committed gross misconduct by making a sexual comment about police widow Lissie Harper, a disciplinary tribunal has ruled. 

The tribunal heard how John Apter, who retired as a police constable from Hampshire Constabulary in 2022, said that he would like to “comfort” Lissie Harper in his hotel room, shortly before she collected a posthumous award on behalf of her late husband.

PC Andrew Harper, who worked for Thames Valley Police, was killed while responding to a bike theft by three teenagers near Sulhamstead  in August 2019 - just four weeks after getting married.

Mrs Harper was made an MBE in 2022 for her campaign to strengthen the law in his memory, which was known as Harper’s Law.

Now the tribunal over Mr Apter's conduct has ruled that the former federation chief made the comment about Mrs Harper in a staff “huddle” during preparations for the awards ceremony at the annual Roads Policing Conference in January 2020.

Legally Qualified Chair Giles Pengelly said: “We find the comment made about Lissie Harper proved and is proved to the level of gross misconduct.”

The panel cleared Mr Apter of a second allegation that he made a sexual comment in early 2019 to a pregnant Police Federation colleague. 

The panel also cleared the 55-year-old, who served as an officer for 30 years, of an allegation that he had touched the bottom of a woman at the National Police Bravery Awards in London in December 2021.

Mr Apter had denied the three allegations, which followed an investigation ordered by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), and had told the tribunal that he “absolutely” had not made the comments.

Regarding the alleged incident in December 2021, he said he had only “scratched” the woman’s upper back, and added that he found the claims “deeply hurtful”.

Mr Apter, who started his career in policing in 1992, had spoken out against the use of sexist nicknames as part of a canteen culture in the police in 2021, after the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer.

He wrote in the Sunday Times: “Misogyny is not just a problem for women, it’s a problem for us all. Far too often there is silence when this takes place, and through this inaction, we are failing each other and wider society.

“We need to consign to the history books some of our canteen culture where sexist nicknames and derogatory remarks are made. When banter crosses the line to become sexist, derogatory or homophobic, that’s when it ceases to be banter.”

He told the hearing that he had “challenged” inappropriate behaviour by police officers and stood by his public comments about misogyny.

The hearing was adjourned for the panel to consider its sanction against Mr Apter.

Last month, work begun on a £4.2 million project to renovate a traveller community site where PC Andrew Harper’s killers hid after his death - with the works branded "obscene" by residents and local councillor.