THE Leader of the House of Commons wrote to Thames Valley’s police commissioner urging him to investigate alleged corruption within the force, the Oxford Mail can reveal.

Andrea Leadsom, MP for South Northamptonshire, wrote the letter, which has been obtained by the Oxford Mail to Anthony Stansfeld, last year.

It referred to former Bicester-based police officer Alex Dearden who was sacked from the force in 2016 following allegations that he subjected his then wife to domestic abuse.

Mr Dearden was acquitted of common assault in 2015 at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court, but has suggested police became entrenched in the wrong position in regard to the allegations.

The former officer was also dismissed for breaching Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Orders and Instructions - using a police database for a non-policing purpose.

Thames Valley Police, which carried out its own investigation into the alleged abuse, concluded that it did take place – breaching its professional standards – and has stuck to that position.

A Police Appeals Tribunal upheld the original decision of the misconduct panel. The process was overseen by the Police and Crime Commissioners Office for Surrey.

But Mr Dearden, who lives in Brackley, maintains that the allegations of abuse between 2011 and 2015 are untrue.

Mrs Leadsom, who is Mr Dearden’s MP, wrote a letter to Mr Stansfeld in July last year, following a complaint made by Mr Dearden.

She wrote: “Mr Dearden maintains that Thames Valley Police found themselves in an entrenched but wrong position in favouring the evidence of his ex-wife and that this error had serious consequences resulting in him being dismissed.

“He believes that so many mistakes were made and that the level of corruption was so great that the force was unable to rectify its incorrect stance to rectify its position.

“Mr Dearden believes that the police are hiding behind the Police Reform Act as a reason for refusing his demands for a thorough investigation.

“He asks why, if Thames Valley Police has nothing to hide, a thorough investigation of its conduct is not forthcoming. Quite understandably, he believes there has been a cover up.

“In all the circumstances, I would be grateful if you will please arrange for an urgent investigation of the important issues raised by Mr Dearden.”

Mr Stansfeld, however, said the matter was an operational issue and that he had no power to interfere.

His office told the Oxford Mail: “The PCC received a letter from The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP on behalf of Mr Dearden outlining his concerns regarding the handling by Thames Valley Police of an historical conduct matter relating to when Mr Dearden was a serving police officer with the force and requesting that the PCC investigate these matters.

“However, as this issue related to an operational policing matter, the PCC has no power or authority to interfere in the force’s decision-making process and to do so would have represented a breach of the operational independence of Thames Valley Police.

“The PCC did review the actions taken by Thames Valley Police and satisfied himself that due process was being properly followed. A letter was then sent to Mr Dearden to explain that the PCC could not get involved in the matter for the above reasons.”

Mr Dearden, who continues to fight for a career in policing, maintains he is innocent and that the police investigation was flawed.

He said: “The allegations against me were false. Thames Valley Police conducted a flawed investigation which included failing to disclose evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service which undermined the police case. 

“If the public are to trust TVP, the force needs to get its own house in order first.”

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said it stuck to its conclusion that Mr Dearden had abused his wife and breached professional standards of behaviour.

Spokeswoman Hannah Jones said: "Former PC Alex Dearden was dismissed from Thames Valley Police in July 2016 after having been found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct by subjecting his then wife to physical and emotional abuse between 2009 and 2015.

"Mr Dearden was also found to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour for Orders and Instructions by using a Thames Valley Police database, and information derived from it for a non-policing purpose at the hearing, which took place in front of an independent legally qualified chair, a lay person and a police representative.

"This was conducted in accordance with the Police Conduct Regulations 2012. Mr Dearden had legal representation throughout the process."

She said Mr Dearden's appeal against his dismissal had been heard by an independent chair at the the Police Appeals Tribunal, but the board upheld the original decision.

She added: "The force fully recognises the significant impact that domestic abuse has on those who suffer it and is therefore entirely satisfied that the appropriate sanctions were applied in this particular case.

"Such behaviour cannot be condoned nor tolerated by a serving police officer."