Martyn Underhill

Martyn Underhill was a Detective Chief Inspector in Sussex Police,^[1] who retired in 2009 after 30 years of service. He joined the Metropolitan Police in 1979, transferring to Sussex Police in 1984.

Police career

In July 2000, he was the Detective Inspector on Highdown Division who dealt with the disappearance of missing child Sarah Payne, who went missing in Littlehampton on the evening of 1 July.^[2] Detective Inspector Underhill was appointed as the Deputy SIO (second in command) of the enquiry, which became a murder investigation after a body was found near Pulborough on 17 July and identified as that of Sarah Payne the following day. Underhill remained on the investigation until Roy Whiting^[3] was convicted of Sarah Payne's murder in December 2001 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was commended by the Sussex Police Authority for his work on the case.^[4] Underhill then became Project Manager for Child Rescue Alert, launching it in the UK in 2003 with Sara Payne.^[5] This alert system is based on Megan's Law^[6] in America. Underhill later took this to the Association of Chief Officers (ACPO) Homicide Working Group to ask for the pilot to be introduced nationally, which was achieved by 2006.^[7] Underhill was also an adviser to the case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were abducted and murdered.^[8] Underhill went onto deal with the Black Widow murder, in which Dena Thompson poisoned her husband Julian Webb.^[9] He then moved to the Training Department in Sussex Police, having qualified as a police trainer, assessor and verifier. On retirement he moved to Dorset.^[10] Underhill went onto campaign for safeguarding issues, including Sarah's Law, which was introduced into Dorset in October 2011.^[10] Underhill became the Laymember on his Local Safeguarding Children's Board,^[11] as well as becoming a trustee for the Bournefree charity.^[12] He is a visiting lecturer at Bournemouth University for the School of Applied Science.^[13] In July 2011, Underhill reported to Operation Weeting that he thought his police phone had been hacked during the Sarah Payne murdercase.^[14]

Police and Crime Commissioner

In February 2012, Underhill declared himself as an Independent candidate for the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner role.^[15] In April 2012 Underhill launched his website for the electoral campaign as www.keeppoliticsoutofpolicing.co.uk^[16] and won the election, becoming Dorset's first ever PCC.^[17]

References