A DETECTIVE who was under investigation for misconduct relating to the investigation into the murder of toddler Riley Siswick has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

DI George Bardell appeared before the Police Appeals Tribunal on January 25, 2021.

It followed an appeal against findings at a misconduct hearing in June 2020, concerning allegations made by the IOPC who suggested that there had been failings in the investigation into the death of Riley Siswick, a child. 

Riley, three, was murdered by Kyle Campbell, 27, in Huddersfield in 2016. He was jailed for a minimum of 20 years in 2019. Riley's mother, Kayleigh, was jailed for seven years for causing or allowing the death of her child.

In the report from the hearing, it said: "The allegation before the Misconduct Panel was whether a policy log was kept at all and not whether policy decisions were recorded, fully or otherwise, in the OEL (Occurrence Enquiry Log).

"This point is made clear in the unsigned response from the Respondent at paragraph 5: '... the Respondent acknowledges and reiterates that the actual allegation against the Appellant was not that he failed to keep a proper record in the OEL, but rather that he should have kept a separate policy log. Indeed, the Respondent had repeatedly made clear that this was its case'."

It said that DI Bardell argued "the finding was unreasonable because it related to an allegation not made by the AA and that procedurally there was no opportunity to consider or address the possible finding".

The Panel added: "After considering all of the papers we concluded that the decision by the misconduct panel was unreasonable for the reasons set out above as it was based upon an allegation not made by the Respondent, therefore this appeal is allowed.

"The PAT would like to add the following comments. Riley Siswick died in horrific circumstances; the criminal justice system has now dealt with those who killed him.

"Any system of investigation must consider how its own actions, during the investigation, might be considered if they are reviewed."