Police commissioner settles dispute with former deputy
A LEGAL dispute between the West Midlands police commissioner and his former deputy over her conduct during a murder inquiry has been settled.
Labour police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson suspended deputy Yvonne Mosquito in March after she visited the family of murder victim Kenichi Phillips in breach of police protocol.
He then refused to renew her £65,000 per year contract when May’s PCC election.
Ms Mosquito, who was then disciplined, launched a legal appeal and was set to go to a tribunal over the loss of her job. But now the parties have ‘amicably’ settled the dispute.
A joint statement from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Ms Mosquito states: “The parties are happy to announce that they have it ended at last amicably settled all outstanding matters between them. Litigation is a stressful business and the parties acknowledge and regret the effects that inevitably follow from that.”
The dispute rose after Ms Mosquito, a Labour councillor for Nechells, paid an unannounced visit to the family home of 18-year-old shooting victim Kenichi Phillips. The police were in the midst of a sensitive murder inquiry and made an official complaint to the commissioner, saying that the visit had made their job more difficult.
A disciplinary hearing found Ms Mosquito guilty of serious misconduct.
The victim’s family said her visit had “made a difficult time much worse, caused them additional pain and grief, and was disrespectful”.