£46,000 for ex-police chief spied on illegally

A retired chief superintendent has been awarded £46,694 after he was spied on by another police force.

Gary Davies was subject to surveillance by British Transport Police in 2016 that led to him being charged with five offences of sexual assault – charges he was later cleared of by a jury, a tribunal ruling said.

The investigatory powers tribunal found that Mr Davies, 54, of Taunton, Somerset, was subject to unlawful surveillance in the absence of any authorisation that “led to extremely severe and damaging consequences”.