Colin Sutton - Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk | Reform Watch

Profile and accountability tracker for Colin Sutton, Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk. Reform UK.

Role: Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk

Party: Reform UK

Colin Sutton is Reform UK's Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, elected at the by-election held on 16 July 2026 following the resignation of Sarah Taylor, and taking office on 17 July 2026. He received 32,647 votes, more than 14,000 ahead of the Conservative candidate, becoming Reform UK's first police and crime commissioner. The role carries a salary of about £79,000 a year. A former Metropolitan Police officer, Sutton served 30 years before retiring in 2011, reaching the rank of Detective Chief Inspector. He led the investigation that convicted serial killer Levi Bellfield and the inquiry into serial rapist Delroy Grant. Since leaving policing he has written three books, co-authored two ITV dramas, including Manhunt, and presented true crime documentaries. Sutton was appointed Reform UK's national policing and crime adviser in 2025. He stood unsuccessfully for Norfolk County Council in Diss and Roydon in May 2026. He lives near Diss.

Recorded incidents (showing 1-2 of 2)

Norfolk police commissioner cancelled 127-date theatre tour after criticism over his duties

Category: ethics violation

Location: Norfolk

Colin Sutton, elected Norfolk's Police and Crime Commissioner in July 2026 on a salary of about £79,000 a year, faced sustained criticism in September 2026 after promoters advertised a 127-date national theatre tour of his one-man true crime show, The Makings of a Murderer, running across 11 months of 2027. Sutton initially defended the plan, saying the shows "would not impinge" on his duties and asking: "Am I not entitled to spend my spare time as I wish?" Reporting noted that around three quarters of the dates fell on weekday evenings, at venues across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Labour MP Ben Goldsborough said "you can't police a county from the back of a tour bus", and Conservative opponents described the episode as "a sorry saga". Sutton told North Norfolk District Council's scrutiny committee on 16 September 2026 that he had pulled out of the tour, saying the number of dates was "ridiculous" and that he had reflected after hearing from residents. He had earlier appeared to attribute his decision to commit to the tour to advice from his staff.

Colin Sutton blamed staff and media over planned 127‑date theatre tour

Category: conflict of interest

Colin Sutton, Norfolk police and crime commissioner and Reform UK national policing and crime adviser, planned an 11‑month, 127‑date one‑man theatre tour while holding the taxpayer‑funded PCC post. He said the performances would be carried out in his spare time and told the BBC he had been the target of a pile‑on and accused a local newspaper of antagonism towards the police and Reform UK. Critics including MP Steff Aquarone, MP Rupert Lowe and county councillor Kay Mason Billig said he was playing the victim and unfairly shifting responsibility onto his staff, and said the tour raised questions about his accountability and honesty to voters. Sutton declined to speak to the local paper but told the BBC he was in talks with his promoter to curtail or cancel the tour, and his campaign said he would reduce commitments while reassuring the public he would continue to fulfil PCC duties.