Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner has cancelled a 127-date theatre tour which critics said would have taken him away from his taxpayer funded job.
Colin Sutton has faced a storm of criticism since it emerged that he would be heading on an 11-month tour with his true crime show The Makings of a Murderer.
Critics said the tour would take the Reform politician away from his £79,000-a-year taxpayer-funded job which he began two months ago.
He told the local democracy reporting service that the tour has been cancelled. He had initially said he could carry out the tour in his spare time.
The former Met detective had planned to perform the one-man show, often on weekdays, at venues across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.
The PCC is elected by the people of Norfolk to set the countywide strategy for reducing crime and disorder and improving community safety.
They are the voice of the people in policing, holding Norfolk’s Chief Constable to account for delivering an efficient and effective police service.
The PCC is also responsible for championing the needs of victims of crime and the vulnerable, providing local services to ensure that help and support are available to them.
Mr Sutton served as a police officer for 30 years, spending around half of that time in uniform before reaching the rank of Detective Chief Inspector. He was involved in undercover policing and then worked as a homicide detective, leading a major investigation team in London.
The team he led was responsible for the capture of serial killer Levi Bellfield and the “Night Stalker” serial rapist Delroy Grant.
He also worked as a staff officer to a Metropolitan Police Commander, learning a lot about the strategy of policing. Since retiring from the police Mr Sutton has written three books, co-authored two TV dramas and written and presented true crime documentaries.
