North Yorkshire’s police boss has resigned after saying women needed to be “streetwise” following Sarah Everard’s murder by a police officer.

Philip Allott has handed in his resignation as North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner after a panel he reports to urged him to quit, with all 11 members backing a no-confidence motion in him.

A fortnight before, he told BBC Radio York women should know “when they can be arrested and when they can’t be arrested” during a conversation about Met Police officer Wayne Couzens using his warrant card to falsely arrest Ms Everard for breaching coronavirus guidelines.

His comments prompted more than 800 complaints to the radio station and 121 complaints to the panel.

In an open letter tendering his resignation, Mr Allott said he had “tried to rebuild trust and confidence in my work” after “unreservedly” apologising for his comments but after the panel meeting “it seems clear to me that the task will be exceptionally difficult, if it is possible at all”.

The police chief told the radio station: “A police officer can’t just arrest you. There has to be a reason. So, COVID, for example, I would classify as a summary offence, it’s not an indictable i.e. sent to prison or potentially go to a Crown Court.

“So women first of all just 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.”

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