Top cop who lost secret files set to be dismissed

A SENIOR counter terrorism chief who was found guilty of gross misconduct after top secret documents in a briefcase were stolen from his car is set to be dismissed just weeks before he is due to retire.

A panel recommended Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale, head of the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, be dismissed.

The hearing heard the decision could hit him in the pocket to the tune of £215,000 as he will lose his tax-free pension lump sum on retirement.

The 54-year-old is set to retire on April 6 after 30 years of service in the police. He had been working in his role as ACC since June 2011.

Chief Constable Dave Thompson will have the final decision in a second hearing at a future date.

Corinna Ferguson, chair of the panel, said: “We recommend dismissal. This is a serious breach of protocol in relation to secret and top secret documents.”

The hearing, held at West Midlands Police headquarters in Lloyd House, looked into an allegation of gross mis- conduct after the documents were stolen from ACC Beale’s unmarked Jaguar police car on May 15 2017.

It was told how on May 10 last year he was handed a brown envelope addressed to ‘Marcus’ by the personal assistant to Chief Superintendent Matt Ward, head of the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.

The envelope contained minutes from an executive liaison group meeting with the words ‘Top Secret’ which he put in his briefcase.

Fiona Barton QC, representing West Midlands Police, said ACC Beale then placed the briefcase in the rear seat of his police car as he visited a pub with Alistair Sutherland, the Deputy Commissioner for City of London Police. The car was kept in a secure compound at the police station.

The briefcase was then placed in the boot on his return and left in the vehicle for four days as he went on a trip to London with his wife returning on May 13.

He discovered the briefcase was missing on the afternoon of May 15 when he pulled up at Warwick Services whilst on a visit to Oxford and checked the boot. He then contacted an officer at West Midlands Police to say his vehicle had been broken into.

Ms Barton said: “He was a long-serving officer and we accept this was a one-off in an unblemished career. However, he was an ACC, a high rank with onerous responsibility. He was the leader of the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit and head of the regional crime unit.

“He had highly sensitive information in the briefcase. He shouldn’t have left it for four minutes, let alone four days. “This could have been catastrophic. It is only a matter of luck that the documents haven’t seen the light of day.” John Beggs QC, representing ACC Beale, said this was an “isolated” incident in an otherwise unblemished career.

“He is a police officer of outstanding calibre,” said Mr Beggs. “Why did he make such a mistake? He does work in punishing circumstances, working long hours. Even the very finest humans make mistakes.

“In his role as leader of the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit he has saved many lives both regionally and nationally. If one of the finest police officers in the country was dismissed for this, it would be a very sad case.”

ACC Beale has been suspended on full pay.

In December, he was handed him a £3,500 fine after he admitted leaving the papers in a locked suitcase in his unmarked police car.

He pleaded guilty to failing to safeguard information under the Official Secrets Act, at Westminster Magistrates Court.

This could have been catastrophic. It is only a matter of luck that the documents haven’t seen the light of day. Fiona Barton QC