Jason Beer QC appeared on behalf of the Independent Police Complaints Commission in the misconduct proceedings brought against the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, Grahame Maxwell. The IPCC conducted an independent investigation into allegations that the Chief Constable had improperly helped a relative, and a relative of the Deputy Chief Constable, in the course of a police recruitment exercise. On 9th May 2011 the Chief Constable admitted that he was guilty of gross misconduct. On 10th May 2011 the misconduct panel imposed a sanction of a final written warning. This is the first time in four decades that a Chief Constable has appeared before a misconduct panel in relation to an allegation of gross misconduct.