PCC's Putin-style horse query was 'inappropriate'

A request from a police and crime commissioner to an officer to help him organise an election campaign photo with a horse - in reference to Vladimir Putin's famous topless photoshoot - was "inappropriate", a complaints panel has found.

In September the serving officer complained about the "unsolicited" request in an email she received from Reform UK's Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews.

A complaints panel has now ruled "the tone and content of the message to be inappropriate for the office, and inconsistent with the high standards expected of a PCC".

A report, published on Tuesday, said Matthews expressed regret for the offence and distress caused to the complainant.

Matthews added the complaint had been resolved by the panel, and said: "The matter is now at an end."

The matter was discussed by the panel during a meeting held behind closed doors on 21 January.

However, details of the complaint had been leaked in advance to the BBC.

Matthews has lodged his own complaint to the panel over the leak, which he described as "a disgrace".

The report, published by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland police and crime panel complaints sub-committee, said the matter had been informally resolved.

It said: "The PCC expressed regret at the meeting for the offence and distress caused to the complainant, and acknowledged that sending the email was inappropriate.

"A reminder has been recorded about maintaining appropriate professional distance and care in communications with officers."

Matthews's message was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which said it found no evidence to indicate a criminal offence may have been committed.

The IOPC said the complaint related to "allegations of intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence and misconduct in public office".

"The offences were alleged to have happened when a request was made to a serving police officer to participate in promotional election material," a spokesperson said.

"Following a considered assessment of the referral, we returned the matter to the panel to be dealt with it as it deemed appropriate, as we did not find evidence to indicate a criminal offence may have been committed."

Matthews was elected to the role in 2021 and re-elected in 2024, before defecting from the Conservatives to Reform UK in 2025.

A spokesperson for his office in Leicestershire previously said: "It is a fact that Mr Matthews has met the officer concerned several times for public engagement purposes.

"Mr Matthews has never made any secret of the fact he is extremely frightened of horses and this has been mentioned, with good humour, every time a horse or pony has been involved in the event. He would never seek to work with them out of choice."

The complaints panel added it had resolved a second complaint against Matthews relating to remarks in a public setting and social media clip.

Further details of that complaint have not been revealed, but the panel said it was informally resolved.

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