NORTH Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner Philip Allott has resigned.

In a letter released this afternoon, Mr Allott said he had 'tried to rebuild trust and confidence in my work', following comments he made in an interview with Radio York regarding the 'horrific abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard'.

But he added: "Following this morning’s meeting of the police and crime panel it seems clear to me that the task will be exceptionally difficult, if it is possible at all. It would take a long time and a lot of resources of my office and the many groups who do excellent work supporting victims.

"This is time victims do not have. There are women and girls in York and North Yorkshire today suffering at the hands of men. Victims and the groups who support them need to be heard. They cannot be heard if the airwaves are filled with discussion about my future.

"That is why I am doing the honourable thing and resigning as police, fire and crime commissioner."

Mr Allott, who lost a no confidence vote during this morning's police and crime panel meeting, had faced repeated calls to resign since his comments were made two weeks ago - but refused to do so.

He told this morning's meeting, which passed a vote of no confidence in him: "Tensions are running high. If everyone resigned who made a mistake in an interview, nothing would ever get done in the country. I genuinely think I can regain trust.”

But even though Mr Allott's office had received hundreds of complaints and more than 10,000 people had signed a petition calling for his resignation, the police and crime panel had no power to remove him.

Nevertheless, critics -  including City of York Council leader Keith Aspden, who is vice-chair of the police and crime panel -  continued to call for Mr Allott to go. 

He has now done so.

In a statement released this afternoon, Cllr Aspden said: "The commissioner’s comments and actions, as well as the failure to recognise their impact right away, are unacceptable and he should have left the post weeks ago.

“As a panel in charge of scrutinising his work and performance, it was important to send a message of condemnation over his appalling comments.

"I sincerely hope that this (Mr Allott's resignation) will now enable a focus on the major task that lies ahead - changing the culture and institutions which have failed to do enough to tackle violence against women and girls."

in his comments to Radio York at the start of this month, Mr Allott referred to the coronavirus laws her murderer Wayne Couzens used to falsely arrest her. He said: “So women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested. She should never have been arrested and submitted to that.

“Perhaps women need to consider in terms of the legal process, to just learn a bit about that legal process.”

The comments prompted a horrified response, and accusations that Mr Allott was victim-blaming.

In his resignation letter this afternoon, Mr Allott said: "Over the past two weeks I have tried to rebuild trust and confidence in my work as York and North Yorkshire’s police, fire and crime commissioner.

"I needed to do that following comments I made on an interview with Radio York regarding the horrific abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

“I need to be clear. I apologise unreservedly for my remarks. They do not reflect my views. I mis-spoke and I am devastated at the effect that this has had on victims of crime and the groups that support them. I have tried to say this again and again but I recognise that what I have said has not always been heard as I intended.

"I had hoped I could rebuild trust, to restore confidence. I was pleased that so many victims groups had accepted that I was genuinely sorry and were willing to work with me to help me in the mammoth task I had ahead.

"Following this morning’s meeting of the Police and Crime Panel it seems clear to me that the task will be exceptionally difficult, if it is possible at all. It would take a long time and a lot of resources of my office and the many groups who do excellent work supporting victims.

"This is time victims do not have. There are women and girls in York and North Yorkshire today suffering at the hands of men. Victims and the groups who support them need to be heard. They cannot be heard if the airwaves are filled with discussion about my future.

"That is why I am doing the honourable thing and resigning as Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner – to restore confidence in the office which I believe will be almost impossible for me to do, and to enable victims’ voices to be heard clearly without the distraction of the continued furore which surrounds me.

“I entered public life because I wanted to make a difference. I still do. So, I am committing myself to doing all I can as a private individual to support victims groups. The pledge I made as Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner was genuine. It is one I will keep.

"Whoever the new Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner will be I wish them every success in what is one of the most demanding but rewarding jobs in the UK."