Shaun Wright resigns as Police and Crime Commissioner

THE under fire Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire has resigned from the post.

Shaun Wright has stepped down today (16 September) “for the sake of victims” and “for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire.”

Mr Wright had been under huge pressure to step down in the wake of a report which found at least 1,400 children were abused in the Rotherham from 1997 to 2013.

He was the head of children’s services in Rotherham between 2005 and 2010.

A by election is now due in mid October.

Mr Wright said:  “My role as South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay’s report.

“This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody’s focus – the 1400 victims outlined in the report – and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.

“With this in mind, I feel that it is now right, to step down… for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction.”

His statement said “the date of the by-election will be announced by the police area returning officer in due course.”

Neil Bowles, chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “It would have been difficult to see how we could work with him considering he had such little credibility in the political world.”

He added: “It will be interesting to see what the turn out for the by-election will be – the PCC is now definitely on the map. People will have heard of the office.”