Stephen Chamberlain (Police Chief)

“If you want to judge the character of a man just watch the way he treats people who can do nothing for him or can’t fight back” Abigail Van Buren

Stephen Chamberlain was promoted to the position of Assistant Chief Constable in South Yorkshire Police, England and was given the portfolio of "Community Safety” When Chamberlain was appointed his personal biography described him as a married man with young children (1)

Shortly after his appointment Chamberlain represented the Police Service and appeared on the BBC's News Forum, “Cracking Crime,” where he answered a number questions posed by viewers. During the interview Chamberlain spoke about a multi agency initiative designed to provide early family interventions to support families to try and affect young' lives as positively as possible.

He pointed out that such an intervention would require a lot of effort to tackle offending behaviour before youngsters got into long-term offending and was aimed at young people from the age of six. (2)

Now to the casual observer his biography and his endorsement of “early family intervention” to “affect youngsters’ lives positively” could well have been interpreted to suggest that Chamberlain was a decent family man ideally suited to his public office. However his carefully worded pen picture and his admirable words did not accurately reflect his true character, for the real picture, evidenced by several well documented sources was somewhat different.

For the four times married Assistant Chief Constable was a serial womaniser who had fathered a number of children by different women. And shortly after his appointment his lack of personal integrity was again evidenced when he became involved with yet another woman. Chamberlain then selfishly walked out on his fourth wife and their two young children to set up home with his lover whom he later married in his fifth marriage.

To further complicate matters his lover was a policewoman who was already married to another policeman and both were junior members of staff. The betrayal of his fourth wife, the mother of his two children, caused his then wife, Jane Chamberlain, to respond with a series of bitter recriminations that were widely reported in the media. The publicity surrounding this "sex scandal" proved to be a catalyst to other events that were also destined to cause further embarrassment for South Yorkshire Police.

For Chamberlains first wife, whom he had married and divorced twice, alongside their son from that marriage and together with a “live in” girlfriend who does not count towards his five marriages, made a series of allegations against him including rape and assault. Again these allegations were widely reported in the press.

The Assistant Chief Constable then resorted to the High Court to prove that his first wife, his son and his former “live in” girlfriend had made inaccurate and misleading statements and he was awarded damages against the newspaper that carried the story.

All this from a man who was not just an ordinary policeman but a man who was expected to lead by example and a man, who, at the time, led South Yorkshire Police on Community Safety, which, ironically, was defined by his own department as, "All activity which seeks to promote harmony within our communities." (3) Clearly Stephen Chamberlain’s commendable call to affect “lives positively” was too much of a commitment to make on a personal basis.

It was the humiliating manner in which Chamberlain chose to abandon his fourth wife that brought these events to public prominence. The Daily Mail (UK) carried the story under the headline, “I don’t feel guilty says Police Chief’s lover” and explained how Chamberlain had moved from Northampton to South Yorkshire, and how his wife, Jane Chamberlain, soon began to receive anonymous letters alleging that he was cheating on her. (4)

It was reported that she had challenged him and he had denied it yet, in spite of this, Chamberlain walked out on his fourth marriage continuing to insist that nobody else was involved.

However further communications caused the Assistant Chief Constable’s wife to drive to her husband’s rented accommodation where, she found conclusive evidence that he had set up home with his mistress. Bitter and belittled Jane Chamberlain took a hanging basket from outside the love nest and went to a Sheffield Police Station in search her husband’s lover, who was named as Helen Chapman(5)

It was reported that Jane Chamberlain eventually caught up with her recreant husband at her in laws home in the Leeds area where, during an emotional and violent confrontation, she crashed her car into a police owned BMW motorcar being used by her cheating husband causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

Reporter Adam Powell investigated further and spoke to Helen Chapman at the bungalow she was now sharing with the Assistant Chief Constable. ACC Chamberlain remained silent as his cold-hearted lover publicly chided his wife and the mother of his two children, "Obviously Steve's wife has got her views about what has happened. But we were both estranged when our relationship began" (6) Showing little sympathy for the distressed Jane Chamberlain who faced an uncertain future as a single mother she added. "We are very happy together" (7)

Inspector Chapman may have thought that she had won but it was at the cost of the privacy and the dignity of everyone else involved and her “star prize” was to become the fifth wife of a serial philanderer and a feckless father. The article conclued by saying that Chamberlain had also married Jill Durran between his other marriages.

These events were also reported in the Sheffield Star under the headline “Police chiefs tight-lipped over affair” which added that the damage to the police car being used by Chamberlain had been quietly repaired, "without cost to police or taxpayers". (8)

However this embarrassing situation, which saw Stephen Chamberlain demean his wife, shame his young family and bring disgrace to South Yorkshire Police, had not yet concluded. More revelations appeared in a further story that was published in "The Mail on Sunday" (UK) under the headline, "Love Cheat Police Chief is a Wife Beater Too" (9)

This article quoted his first wife, Karen Davidson, and a former “live in” girlfriend who was identified as Jacqueline Beverley a 47 year old mother of three children, together with his son, Mark, from his first marriage.

Karen Davidson claimed she married Chamberlain twice only to divorce him twice because of his alleged infidelities. She also claimed that he beat and raped her and even pushed her down stairs when she was pregnant causing her to miscarry. His live in girlfriend Jacqueline Beverley also made accusations that he had used violence against her and, astonishingly, his own son who was named as Mark Davidson Chamberlain, also claimed that his father had beaten him resulting in hospital treatment.

ACC Chamberlain resorted to the High Court to contest these allegations and after a hearing he was awarded an apology and “substantial damages” (11) against Associated Newspapers who own the Mail on Sunday.

This blogg does not condone inaccurate and sensationalist journalism and totally accepts the verdict of the Court in clearing Chamberlain in relation to the serious allegations that were made against him. Yet some may feel that Stephen Chamberlain’s self centred lifestyle and litany of licentiousness may have contributed to this sad and acrimonious drama of family breakdown which was played out in the Court.

Indeed spare a thought for his wife, Jane Chamberlain, she must have known about her husbands track record before she committed to marriage. She built a home with him, had two children with him and supported him as he reached the top of his chosen profession.

Yet he treated her with contempt and she had to suffer the further indignity of watching her unfaithful husband defend himself against serious allegations made by former family members from previous relationhips. Regardless as his role as an exemplary police leader what sort of example did he set for his very own children?

In other instances where public officials are accused of sexual scandals or extra-marital affairs then the public often judge the individual on the reactions of those most hurt by the betrayal. Quite often they do not show any sympathy or understanding if their wives or families do not come to their defence. For, without doubt, it is the actions or in-actions of those most caught up in the turmoil that tell us much about the character of the individual concerned.

Consequently as this matter revealed such a catalogue of acrimony strung out across a number of separate relationships doesn’t it say much about the person at the centre of it? For in the end all those hurt and humiliated in this wretched affair had one thing in common, Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Chamberlain, the person charged with promoting harmonious communities in South Yorkshire.

By any stretch of the imagination, does Chamberlain or South Yorkshire Police emerge with any credit from this sorry episode played out in the full glare of publicity?

The conclusion of the High Court Case offered the Assistant Chief Constable the opportunity to show some humility by considering the feelings of others who had been drawn into these events. It may well have been an appropriate time for him to express some regrets.

He could have publicly expressed regrets for the hurt that he had caused to his wife and children by leaving them and the further embarrassment that was caused by the subsequent media reporting. He could have voiced some disappointment that he had no other option other than to resort to the courts to robustly challenge the inaccurate statements purportedly made by his former wife, his son and his live in lover.

He could have also expressed some regret that the turbulent events in his personal life had caused embarrassment to his colleagues in South Yorkshire and may have distracted him from his official duties.

But none of it. Chamberlain's self-pitying post Court interview was notable for failing utterly to consider the interests of anyone else, least of all his children. Instead they were all about him and what he had been through.

Playing the victim he said, "This article nearly ruined my professional life. This apology and the admission that it was false will help me rebuild my life" (12)

Onlookers could be forgiven for suggesting that the ACC Chamberlain should look over his shoulder. For these sorry events had unearthed a wife, two former wives, one live-in-lover and his own three children who had also been left to rebuild their lives because, quite evidently, Stephen Chamberlain puts himself first time and time again

One can only speculate whether any of the individuals left to in his wake may have identified with the damming comment attributed to his first wife, “Behind his facade of respectability he has wrecked lives" (13)

So despite his solicitor, Sarah Webb, proclaiming that the court case had totally cleared the reputation of Stephen Chamberlain (14) others may take the view that the combination of these events, which openly exposed the dysfunctional lifestyle of Stephen Chamberlain, caused irreparable collateral damage to his reputation both as a man and as a senior police officer.

For his numerous marriages, father absent children, live in lover and adulterous relationship with a married and junior member of his staff openly exposed Chamberlain as an egocentric and predatory philanderer. And surely, by any standards, that must bring into question issues of trust, judgement, honour and decency?

Yet irrespective of their entitlements to demand the highest standards of integrity and irrespective of their rights to expect Stephen Chamberlain to act in a manner reflecting his prominent public role, his senior colleagues at South Yorkshire Police casually dismissed his behaviour.

Instead of setting standards and offering leadership they simply cowered in the shadows and responded with the feeble euphemism that Stephen Chamberlain was entitled to a” private life" (15) The sight of his male colleagues closing ranks and protecting their pal would have done little to engender confidence in their organisation.

So did his employers not question, even for a moment, whether such a flawed characteristic was compatible with the South Yorkshire Police brand of Policing? The personal conduct of the man they appointed had brought discredit upon himself and had brought his Police Force into disrepute.

His immaturity and lack of personal restraint had made him a laughing stock and sadly it was not just embarrassing for him and his family, it became embarrassing for everyone associated with South Yorkshire Police. Stephen Chamberlain undermined the dignity of his high office and compromised his colleagues who responded by giving him the comfort of their tacit support.

To their eternal discredit South Yorkshire Police failed to show the same understanding to a more junior officer who also let events in his personal life overtake him. For during the same time as Chamberlain was making the headlines P. C. John Wetherall, who was described as a married father of one, was “required to resign” after a clandestine meeting with his lover in a neighbouring county. (16)

Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, the body responsible for maintaining standards in the Police, released a publicly available report called, “Police Integrity: Securing and Maintaining Public Confidence”. This document outlines the findings of an investigation conducted into police integrity and highlights a number of recommendations to ensure that the highest standards of ethical behaviour are maintained.

These recommendations included the direction that “All supervisory officers should be more active in raising the standard of behaviour of all staff” A further recommendation clearly outlined the need to lead by example “Chief officers should more actively set the right example, and continually reinforce it through deeds rather than words” (17) Quite evidently these recommendations carried little weight in the corridors of powers at South Yorkshire Police.

Despite this Chamberlain still attempted to maintain some form of credibility even though his personal behaviour clearly contradicted his public image. During the height of the scandal Stephen Chamberlain led a South Yorkshire Police delegation to Lahore in Pakistan where, ironically, he conducted a seminar on professional standards.

During his visit he spoke of the need for “trust” and praised the extended family. Unbelievably he told journalists, "The extended family system and religion are playing a big part in controlling the crime. The extended families in a way police their relatives'" (18)

With staggering hypocrisy Chamberlain later went on to publicly endorse a police led children and young person’s intervention programme that was intended to promote good citizenship in schools. This strategy included a plan to target the “moral, spiritual, cultural and social development of young people. (19)

Readers are left to draw their own conclusions.

REFERENCES


1. Retrieved from South Yorkshire Police website http:// www.southyorks.police.uk/

2. BBC News. Talking Point. Six Forums: 'Cracking Crime'. Thursday 19 September 2002.
Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/l/hi/talkingpoint/ forum/six forum/2264662.stm)


3. South Yorkshire Police website. 'Definition of Community Safety'.
Retrieved from http://www.southyorks.police.uk/


4. Powell, Adam. 'I Don’t Feel Guilty Says The Police Chief's Lover', The Daily Mail (UK) dated 4 September 2003.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid

8. The Sheffield Star (UK). 'Police Chiefs Tight-Lipped Over 'Affair'' dated 3 September 2003.
Retrieved from http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Police-chiefs-tightlipped-over-39affair39.652011.jp

9. Chapman, A and Lewis, T. 'Love-Cheat Police Chief is a Wife Beater Too’. The Mail on Sunday (UK) dated 5 October 5 2003

10. Ibid.


11. BBC News website 'Police Chief Wins Libel Damages' dated Thursday 5 May 2005. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4516777.stm

12. Ibid.
.
13. Mail on Sunday dated 5 October 2003, op cit.

14. BBC News Website dated 5 May 2005, op cit.

15. Sheffield Star dated 3 September 2003, op cit.

16. The Daily Mail Newspaper (UK). 'Amorous PC Caught Out by Camera in his Own Car' dated 7 May 2004.

17. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. 'Police Integrity Securing And Maintaining Public Confidence’ dated June 1999
Retrieved from http://www.nationalarchives.qov.uk/ERO/records/ ho415/l/hmic/polinteg.htm

18. Daily Times (Pakistan). A New Voice For A New Pakistan 'British
Police Team In City' dated Wednesday 8 October 2003.
Retrieved from http://www.dailvtimes.com.pk/default.asp? paae=storv 8-10-2003 pq7 17

19. South Yorkshire Police Authority (Minutes) Community Affairs Committee dated 4th February 2005. (Item41/05. Vulnerable Groups (A) Children and Young Persons Intervention Programme.) Retrieved from http://www.southyorks.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?docid=3069&doclib