The British Transport Police Authority has announced that Stuart Cundy has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Constable of the British Transport Police.
Stuart has most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and will be taking up the BTP role at the end of October.
He will replace BTP’s former Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland who retired from policing in April.
Stuart’s distinguished policing career began with the Metropolitan Police Service in 1994, where he served in both uniform and detective roles at the forefront of public service in the capital. In 2013 he became Assistant Chief Constable at Surrey Police, leading the specialist crime command, before returning to the Met in 2016.
Stuart was awarded a Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in 2018 for leading the Met’s response to the London Bridge terrorist attacks, and has also led several national policing portfolios on behalf of Chief Constable’s Council.
Notably, Stuart led the policing response into the Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington in 2017, where 72 people lost their lives. This included overseeing both the police engagement with the public inquiry and the criminal investigation.
He was also the lead detective in the investigation into the murder of Sally Anne Bowman in Croydon in 2005.
The 18 year old was a hairdresser and model who was murdered in her driveway in the early hours of the 25th of September as she returned home from a night out.
Former pub chef, Mark Dixie, who had a history of robbery and sexual offences, was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in jail with a recommended minimum of 34 years.
Following Dixie’s murder conviction, Detective Superintendent Stuart Cundy said: “It is my opinion that a national DNA register—with all its appropriate safeguards—could have identified Bowman’s murderer within 24 hours. Instead it took nearly nine months before Mark Dixie was identified, and almost two-and-a-half years for justice to be done.”
The calls for a register were ultimately turned down by ministers and politicians.
Stuart commented: “I’m really excited to be joining the British Transport Police as Deputy Chief Constable. I look forward to working closely with the Chief Constable and colleagues across BTP, as well as with our partners across the rail, underground and tram networks, to protect passengers and railway staff and minimise disruption.
“My time policing the nation’s capital has given me a wealth of operational experience. At this pivotal moment for Great Britain’s railway, I see a real opportunity for BTP to build on its unique reputation as the guardians of the railway and to lead the way in its field of policing. I joined policing to make a difference. It will be a privilege to serve the railway community across England, Scotland and Wales, and to work alongside the dedicated officers and staff of BTP, the Police Authority, and our industry partners to deliver a safe, secure and resilient network.
“Finally, I want to thank my family, friends and colleagues for their unwavering support throughout my policing journey. I know they will continue to stand beside me as I begin this exciting new chapter.”
