TOP COP IN FRESH BULLY PROBE
No way back for Gormley after fourth complaint
SCOTLAND’S top cop has been hit by a FOURTH bullying complaint from a senior staff member. Police sources believe the latest allegation against Phil Gormley – by civilian worker Lesley Bain – is the final nail in the coffin of his career as chief constable. The chief is due to learn
within a week the outcome of an initial review of the three earlier complaints by the Police Independent Review Commissioner.
That stage signals the end of his four-week period of so-called “special leave” and could have led to him being invited to resume his duties as head of Police Scotland.
However, as previously reported by the Record, Gormley’s return was already in serious doubt.
Insiders now expect him to be suspended formally from his duties, although he will continue to collect his £212,000 salary while the complaints against him are investigated.
The fourth complaint was made by Bain – the force’s highly respected principal analyst.
With hundreds of staff working to her directions, she is said to have similar managerial responsibility to a police superintendent.
An insider said: “This is another nail in the coffin. The level of the making complaints can’t be ignored and shows exceptionally poor judgment.”
It’s understood that Bain’s principal complaint involves the manner in which the chief spoke to her in a public setting.
Gormley, only Police Scotland’s second chief since the single force were established in 2013, had already been reported to the Scottish Police Authority by Superintendent Graham McInarlin
and a female inspector. The third complaint was from Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham.
Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, who was passed over for the top job when Gormley was appointed, has now taken charge of Police Scotland.
He had been favourite for the post with support from rank-andpeople file officers, senior officers and Cabinet ministers.
But it is understood that Andrew Flanagan – the outgoing chair of the Scottish Police Authority, who appoint chief officers to the single force – pushed hard for Gormley.
The investigations into the complaints could run into next year, or even longer should a misconduct hearing be required.
It is considered unlikely that Gormley would submit himself to a misconduct hearing, should that be the recommendation.
This would involve those who have reported him for bullying, and any potential witnesses and supporters, giving evidence and making public the exact details of their complaints.
One source said: “No chief would subject themselves to the potential public humiliation of that type of hearing.
“If that’s the only avenue open to him after the investigation is complete, he would go.”
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