It has all the ingredients for a prime-time TV cop drama: sex romps, betrayal and alleged police cover-ups.
For one of Britain’s sleepiest police forces is at the centre of a real life thriller – and the lurid tale’s twists and turns are set to be played out in court.
The case centres on a former detective, Andrew Fearon, who is suing North Wales Police after claiming he caught his fiancee Rebecca Hutt, an officer on the same force, cheating on him with a colleague.
Four months before their wedding, Mr Fearon made a formal complaint against Ms Hutt for gross misconduct because the illicit relationship was being conducted on police premises.
He also claimed she was guilty of coercive control, domestic violence and fraud.
Although an investigation into Ms Hutt was launched, Mr Fearon says it was ‘corrupt’ and quietly shelved because – astonishingly – the senior officer investigating, Detective Superintendent Steve Williams, was, so Mr Fearon alleges, also in a sexual relationship with her at the time.
To add insult to injury, Mr Williams later married her.
Nine years on, Mr Fearon is taking legal action against the force.
He claims he faced financial ruin and ‘psychiatric injury’ as a result of the ordeal and says there has been no justice.
Andrew Fearon (pictured) is suing North Wales Police after claiming he caught his fiancee Rebecca Hutt, an officer on the same force, cheating on him with a colleague
Pictured: Shaun Parry is alleged to have had an affair with his colleague Ms Hutt – they were both detective constables at the time
Steve Williams (right) was originally brought in to investigate the claims of gross misconduct but later married Rebecca Hutt (left)
The details of the extraordinary case have emerged from documents lodged at the High Court in Liverpool and have been seen by The Mail on Sunday.
The documents claim that in the summer of 2017, Mr Fearon and Ms Hutt were both detective constables with North Wales Police when Ms Hutt revealed she was having an affair with a colleague, Detective Constable Shaun Parry.
They allegedly conducted their relationship at the St Asaph police station in Denbighshire, where they were both based, while Mr Fearon was stationed at Menai Bridge 40 miles away.
Court papers describe Mr Parry as a ‘known sexual predator’ and reveal Mr Fearon requested a misconduct investigation take place.
It is claimed officers ‘conspired’ to simply move Mr Parry to a nearby station rather than disciplining him.
The court documents obtained by The Mail on Sunday say: ‘They [Parry and Hutt] conducted an intimate relationship on the premises. Instead of being properly addressed as a disciplinary matter, Parry was relocated from St Asaph to Wrexham.
‘Parry was a known sexual predator, and the defendant’s officers conspired to ensure that he was not disciplined for his sexual activity with RH [Hutt].’
Mr Fearon, who took four months off work due to stress, asked his force to investigate his separate allegations against Ms Hutt for coercive control, domestic violence and fraud and, in November 2017, Mr Williams was brought on to investigate the claims.
One of Britain’s sleepiest police forces is at the centre of a real life thriller – and the lurid tale’s twists and turns are set to be played out in court
Mr Williams concluded that no further action should be taken against Ms Hutt and she was allowed to remain in her post.
But now it is claimed that while investigating Ms Hutt, Mr Williams was in a serious sexual relationship with her.
The court papers allege: ‘Det Supt Williams had used his rank to influence the outcome of the investigation in favour of Ms Hutt.’
Mr Fearon was left furious when he discovered the truth and told a colleague he wanted to arrest Mr Williams for gross misconduct.
But he claims that his work fob, which allowed him access to all North Wales Police premises, was deactivated that evening onwards – effectively barring him from work.
He requested an external force investigate the case, but this was also denied and he subsequently resigned.
Mr Williams married Ms Hutt in 2022 and has now retired. She is still a serving officer.
Mr Parry, meanwhile, was dismissed without notice in 2019 over separate allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ with another female colleague.
Mr Fearon is suing North Wales Police for £200,000 in damages for personal injury, as well as £144,000 more for loss of earnings.
The documents allege that the ‘corruption’ he endured ‘has had a significant detrimental effect on my physical and mental health’.
The case is due to be heard in a Liverpool court in July.
Solicitor David Miers, representing Mr Fearon, said: ‘Mr Fearon’s case centres on North Wales Police’s failure to undertake an impartial investigation in light of the alleged offences and the relationships Ms Hutt was having with other officers.
‘The failure to do that left Mr Fearon feeling isolated and unsupported, which ultimately resulted in a very serious psychiatric injury.’
Mr Williams, speaking from his home in Colwyn Bay he shares with Ms Hutt, insisted he was not having a relationship with her at the time he was investigating Mr Fearon’s allegations.
Mr Williams told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I strenuously deny these claims, which are malicious, without substance, and a continuum of harassment.’
Mr Parry, who also lives in Colwyn Bay, said: ‘I have no comment about that man [Mr Fearon] and the case.
‘I have moved on with my life and have no interest whatsoever.’
North Wales Police said: ‘As the matters referred to are currently subject to active legal proceedings, with a trial scheduled to take place in July, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time.’
Ms Hutt declined to comment.
