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Vetting blunder 'let Tomlinson officer rejoin Met police'
Lawrence Conway06.07.09
Scotland Yard was facing fresh controversy today after it emerged that it should not have employed an officer now at the centre of an inquiry into the death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests.
The officer had apparently been retired from the Met with a serious disciplinary charge hanging over him, barring him from rejoining.
He managed to rejoin the force because of a vetting blunder. The allegation is now likely to form part of the Independent Police Complaints Commission's investigation into Mr Tomlinson's death.
Mr Tomlinson, 47, died after he was hit and pushed over by the officer during the G20 protests in April. The Pc was questioned by the IPCC and is now at the centre of a manslaughter investigation.
But several years ago, while serving with the Met, he was apparently due to face a misconduct hearing over an off-duty road-rage row. A source said: "No former officer with an outstanding disciplinary matter should ever be given his job back."
The Pc was retired because of an old injury and left with a substantial medical pension. But he rejoined the force as a civilian worker. He then applied to join Surrey Police as a constable before transferring back to the Met. The Met today refused to comment on the claims. Mr Tomlinson's family said they were told by an investigator recently that he may have been assaulted by someone impersonating a police officer.
Reader views (11)
"Why is this taking so long to investigate?,-the police know the identity of the person who attacked mr Tomlinson,-the video footage proves beyond doubt that it was an unprovoked assault,-yet nearly three months later nobody has been charged or arrested!,-and the police wonder why confidence in them is at an all time low,-the whole thing stinks to high heaven.
- Jacob, Canterbury England"
Closed shop, drag heels million pound acpo copmaines, cars for officers spouses, cushy jobs.
Welcome to police abatement new Labour style.
- Wan Ping, Scotland
He will get away with it. most Police officers think this thug is a hero, which says more about the Met and the standard of officers it employs than most pundits can put into words.
- Kerry Trubee, Purley
We are members of the commonwealth let us use an independent force -perhaps the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to investigate the British police. Surely nobody can have any faith in the British police now.
- Wills, Soton
Why is this taking so long to investigate?,-the police know the identity of the person who attacked mr Tomlinson,-the video footage proves beyond doubt that it was an unprovoked assault,-yet nearly three months later nobody has been charged or arrested!,-and the police wonder why confidence in them is at an all time low,-the whole thing stinks to high heaven.
- Jacob, Canterbury England
Idle curiosity - have the police been found guilty of murder? Was the incident declared (other than by frequent hysterics and wild claims by the anti-police lot) an illegal death? Not that I have seen.
How then was the re-hire of this guy "a blunder"?
Until such time as a decision has been made (again, other than by the foaming at the mouth brigade) how about waiting before condemning all and sundry on interpretive speculation!
- Rogan, Irving
Ian, London - what strange little world do you live in so that you could come up with such an ill informed, hysterical and ridiculous comment. Jim, London - on the other hand asks the right questions.
- Ranter, Maidstone, UK
Why join a gang to be a thug when you can get paid for doing it by joining the Met - Ian, London
The wrong kind of person is joining the force for the wrong reasons. This kind of Justice handed out is not what we want on our streets it breeds disdain and leads to what we nearly have anarchy. One rotten apple does more than damage to themselves but brings the entire force into disrepute and makes society an honorific place to live, until we can trust the police to act reasonably we are in big trouble.
- Gary, Brentwood
is this one of the fake policeman they were looking for~
- Basil, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
So presumably the officer involved will be tried for murder and manslaughter, oh of course not, the Old Bill can kill and maim as they please in the full knowledge that they are exempt from prosecution. Their good friends in the CPS and the justice department can always be relied upon to cover things up for them.
No wonder there are no football gangs anymore. Why join a gang to be a thug when you can get paid for doing it by joining the Met.
- Ian, London
This is a very serious problem and I hope the IPCC are allowed to impartial handle and try and recover public confidence, I hope we get no more silly tales like the claims these were people pretending to be officers, please investigate fairly no more cover-ups
- Jerry, Chiswick
Has he been checked for fraud, after leaving 'with a substantial medical pension', then becoming a 'civilian worker' and then joining Surrey Police before rejoining the MET Incidently shouldn't Surrey Police also have done some vetting?
- Jim, London
