 A CHIEF Constable has confessed to a "stupid, single bad decision" by showing a road safety briefing horrific pictures of a Liverpool biker killed in a crash. In an 84-page report issued last week, the Independent Police Complaints Commission described Richard Brunstrom's decision as "this unfortunate incident" but cleared him of breaking any rules in showing images of Mark Gibney, 40, without telling his family. Now, in a report to a special meeting of the North Wales police authority next week, which will discuss what action to take, Mr Brunstrom, 53, said: "I bitterly regret the distress my actions have caused. "I think I was stupid - a single bad decision, taken in haste, with wholly unintended consequences. "It was an error of judgment and one I will not repeat." But he insisted: "I remain satisfied my behaviour was entirely ethical." Father of three Mr Gibney, from West Derby, was killed in a horrific head-on collision with a car near Llanfihangel, North Wales, in September, 2003. In April this year, two images of Mr Gibney - one of his headless body and another of his head - were shown to a stunned audience at a private Arrive Alive briefing. His family have called for Mr Brunstrom to be sacked, or to tender his resignation. Their solicitor Paul Beck has said the family has not ruled out taking legal action against Mr Brunstrom. In his report, Mr Brunstrom, who had blamed the press for what happened, said he bitterly regretted the distress his action had caused to the Gibney family, and said he had apologised to them in writing. "I do so again now, unreservedly. I placed too much trust in the behaviour and integrity of journalists," he says in his report. He adds: "Any fault lies entirely with me, and not with any of my staff. I controlled events, I took the major decisions, I made the mistake and I am personally and solely accountable for it. "It is important to reiterate that I did nothing to identify the Gibneys, nor anything directly to cause them the distress they have experienced." Next week's meeting will debate the IPCC report and the chief constable's presentation in public. Then, in private, it will consider a report by the authority's chief executive Kelvin Dent and decide on appropriate action.
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