Ethics and Integrity Commission head steps back over past allegations

Stuart Sterling has stepped back as head of the Ethics and Integrity Commission after it emerged that he was investigated in a previous job over alleged sexual misconduct, BBC News reported.

Mr Sterling was appointed as the commission's first chief executive in October 2025. The body was newly formed, and his role included advising the prime minister on tackling misconduct in public life. A government spokesperson said: "These are serious allegations. Stuart Sterling has stepped back from his role while we swiftly establish the facts."

The allegations and the investigations into them were first reported by the Sunday Times. The paper reported that in 2003 Mr Sterling faced a full misconduct hearing as a junior officer with Northamptonshire Police. The case was treated as sexual harassment. He was accused of inappropriately touching the breasts of a female colleague in a police station, after a male colleague who allegedly witnessed it reported him.

Mr Sterling's representative said a full disciplinary process was held over the complaint in 2002, that he complied fully, and that it resulted in a sanction. The Sunday Times reported that the sanction was a financial penalty of two weeks' pay. At the time, it was the maximum sanction short of forced resignation.

After the sanction, Mr Sterling received two police commendations and was promoted to detective sergeant. The Sunday Times also reported that by 2008 he had been reported to the force again, over an allegation of sexual misconduct against a female colleague at a social gathering outside work.

Mr Sterling's representative denied that the 2008 incident took place. The representative said he was never the subject of any criminal investigation, but that the allegation was examined by professional standards. The representative also said Mr Sterling was not required to resign from the force and left voluntarily.

Mr Sterling joined the Cabinet Office, the government department that supports the prime minister, in 2009. He later held senior roles and was seconded to the National Police Chiefs' Council in 2019. In 2023 he was awarded an OBE, a royal honour, for helping to plan the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.

The Cabinet Office will now examine whether appropriate and correct disclosures of information were made regarding Mr Sterling.