PROSECUTORS have dropped any action against Hampshire police and crime commissioner Simon Hayes over an allegation that he misrepresented his home address.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission passed a report to the Crown Prosecution Service which decided on no further action.

Mr Hayes and Winston Roddick, the commissioner for North Wales, were accused of being misleading about their homes on nomination forms for the commissioner elections of November 2012. They were interviewed under criminal caution and always denied any wrongdoing.

The CPS decision on Mr Hayes contrasted with Mr Roddick because the IPCC found that there was no evidence to support the allegation and so did not pass a file to the CPS.

A spokesman for the IPCC said yesterday (MON): “We felt there was something the CPS had to look at.”

Mr Hayes was asked by the Daily Echo for comment but had not returned calls.

A spokesperson for Mr Hayes, in a statement, said: “When this allegation was made, the commissioner was quite content that it should be investigated by the IPCC, and is equally content with the outcome and that the CPS found there was no case to answer.

“The communities of Hampshire and Isle of Wight however should be assured that their commissioner is a man who promotes high moral and ethical principles, and upholds the highest standards of personal and professional integrity.”

In a statement the CPS said: “To stand as a candidate for the post of PCC, an individual must be resident in the area. The legislation states that residence is decided by looking at not only the question of whether someone was at or not at a particular address on a particular date but also why that was so. Therefore, a person living at an address temporarily may be considered to be resident there if he has no home elsewhere, but not resident there if he does.

“Although Mr Hayes was briefly absent from the address provided, a temporary absence does not deprive a person of their residence. We do not consider that Mr Hayes had another permanent home elsewhere and therefore consider him to be resident in the area.

“As such, we have determined there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the information entered on the nomination form was false and have advised the IPCC that no further action should be taken.”

Before winning the election as an independent, Mr Hayes had been the chairman of Crimestoppers.

He was previously a Conservative district and county councillor and leader of New Forest District Council.