We are pleased to report that on Friday 13th December 2019, David Lock QC has been successful in his application in the Administrative Court in Birmingham to have secured a full judicial review on the decision of the Chief Constable Gareth Morgan to reduce the pensions of a number of injured pensioners.
The case has two elements, firstly, whether Mr Morgan (pictured right) was entitled to reduce the pensions of those concerned without medical evidence of a substantial alteration in their condition, despite them all attending a medical assessment with a doctor.
Secondly, the force, in 2008, ‘promised’, in collaboration with the Federation and Narpo, that Staffordshire Police pensioners would never be reviewed again. Pensioners were called to review in 2017, despite this formal agreement. This agreement is now being challenged.
It is anticipated that there will be a two day hearing in the Spring/Summer of 2020.
Mr Lock was instructed by Ron Thompson of Haven Solicitors and Angela Giannotti of Penningtons Solicitors.
I must admit to having a laugh when I see all the ‘thumbs down’ on the comments.
Are we that much of a threat to those who sit in the Ivory Towers?
Really, I hope that IODPA has a system that they can track who likes and dislikes posts. That would make me laugh even more!
Well done Mr Lock, by the way, I look forward to the update about the full hearing in due course.
And thank you IODPA for keeping us so well informed. I, as so many others, do appreciate it.
Dear Mr Morgan
There is a secret that your ‘advisors’ in Northumbria have withheld from you…it’s so secret that a former senior Northumbria HR bod lied on oath whilst ‘giving evidence’ in court at an Employment Tribunal in March 2018….the secret is that you are NOT the first to pursue a Reg 33 to a JR hearing.
Oh no…despite a senior Human Resources individual from Northumbria Police denying on oath that Northumbria Police had ever enforced a Reg 33 on an IOD ex officer…it was of course a lie. An ex officer was indeed subjected to Reg 33 during the period of 2007/08 and their injury pension was totally removed on the grounds of ‘refusing to be medically examined’ So Mr Morgan why have you not heard about this case?? Well let me enlighten you…a permission hearing was heard in the Royal Courts in London on Friday 11th April 2008 in front of Mr Justice Owen. We understand your friend and advisor Mr Nicholas Wirz was in attendance during this hearing….so what happened at the permission hearing…Mr Justice Owen was not persuaded by the arguments of the Home Office appointed barrister who was appointed by the Home Office to represent Northumbria Police, and permission was granted for a full hearing later that year….BUT sorry to inform you Mr Morgan of some bad news…your advisors at Northumbria Police bottled out and gave in before a full hearing could proceed.
Now then Mr Morgan…ever get the feeling you have been led up the garden path by a bunch of gutless ‘self appointed experts’ who ‘LAKed’ the bottle themselves to proceed to a full Reg 33 hearing in London…
Good Luck Mr Morgan…thumbs down more than welcome on this comment!!!
Looking forward to the year ahead and wish you all the best of fortunes. The treatment of current serving officers is not good at all and I have been shocked to see how my own Force has treated IOD’s, knowing that IODPA is protecting all our interests, is comforting,
Well done all involved.
Having noted the unusually high amount of “thumbs down” on the comments, it is very obvious to me that “the staff side” of the Police forces have been instructed to leave a thumbs down to indicate they don’t agree with the comment. (Which is very childish – and beneath any so called trained professional)
One comment says “The police and the public deserve better than this, Staffs Police are throwing thousands of taxpayers’ pounds at a case which is causing agonising stress for their own pensioners. This money could be far better spent on improving the safety of the people that they serve.” That got 8 thumbs down. Only a moron would disagree with that comment. Your actions such as this are very immature, unprofessional, childish, and quite frankly if you worked for me and did this, you would be out the door in very quick fashion. Still, if nothing else it shows the members of the public how you spend your working day that they pay you for. Not a very good return for the money is it?
Morgan has gone off on yet another diversion to what he should be doing to further his esteemed career for himself, what a surprise!.. For four months Instructing senior officers how to run the shop, God help the police service in general throughout England and Wales.. And left a trail of complete destruction yet again for someone else to explain away as he did in Avon and Somerset.. Hopefully he will return back to Staffordshire late March or early April in time for the judicial review to answer the questions we all have for him, then the employment tribunal penned in.. I wouldn’t dream he’d slope off like he did in Avon and Somerset and leave it for someone else to deal with afterwards.. That would just be…..
Looking at the various ‘thumbs down’ in the comments, it seems clear that retired Police Officers fighting for justice are finally getting under the skin, (especially those very thick skinned) haters of police.
No doubt the Staffs PPA is making his sycophants read these blogs & new letters too, just like Trump does! Is he starting to sweat? I’m sure once he has the feedback from his lawyers he will.
Despite the Home Office pushing him, (although it seems like he goes to it willingly), his position in some of the cases is laughable. I’m sure his legal team are telling him to quit, but just like when faced with a big meat pie, he can’t, he’ll see it through to the bitter end, just like those General’s in the Somme.
Problem is the cost to the population of Staffs who pay their taxes believing it’s for policing, not vanity. Where is the Staffs Commissioner in all this too? He should be saying ‘Stop’, but is quietly keeping out of it, just in case the excrement spinning away soon, hits him too.
It’s a story that would grace a 3rd world despotic nation, not the cradle of parliament and the rule of law!
Well done and a big thank you to all who continue the fight in the corner of officers whose careers have been cut short by injury, and shame on those who compound the loss of a career and injuries received in the line of duty by behaving like the people we as working police officers used to lock up.
You would think that a Chief Constable would follow the law and adhere to the regulations. Well, he doesn’t.
So, is he malicious or just plain incompetent? Looking at the case presented at Court I would think both!
It’s probably about time the Home Secretary stepped in and sacked sacked him for gross misconduct in a Public Office.
I notice that there are actually thumbs down appearing in the comments. Hmmmm! Obviously NOT made by any IOD retired pensioners. I wonder who by? Obviously someone who is totally unaware of what is going on OR is actually a PART of what is going on.
Wonderful news! Justice on it’s way, finally, for the Staffs 17 and then, for such as that problem, to never happen again. The regulations are very clear. ONLY when a SUBSTANTIAL change in the condition of the injury is actually evidenced (proven) would a reassessment take place. This would mean in 99.99% cases a deterioration in that injury condition. I wonder how many of the older IOD pensioners actually KNEW before this that they could seek a reassessment of their worsened condition AFTER they have retired on IOD pension? Hopefully they will now be aware. IODPA is becoming larger and more well known and extremely advisory.
As for the 2008 agreement, isn’t that, basically, just agreeing to follow the regulations?
That’s not what the regs say. Identifying a (medical) substantial alteration can only be done by a doctor.
The 2008 agreement does not uphold the regulations, to the contrary it steps outside of them in a big way. The 2008 challenge is not about upholding the detail of the agreement, but the belief that officers would no longer be reviewed.
Well done to the legal team, Haven and Co Solicitors, Ron Thompson, Angela and David Lock QC. it is fantastic to have such a superb legal team in our Corner. A big congratulations to all the retired officers who took up the fight. Happy New year to all. I wish you all further success in your fights.
Oh dear it looks as if 2020 is the year of checking (professionally) your pension.
Current and retired officers should take note, there seems to have been a great deal of maladministration in public pensions (reported in the press) let’s not forget we paid into them.
I have a funny feeling that some Forces will wish that they had never kicked the pensions stones, our ignorance to them was bliss, until they kicked one stone to many, and it didn’t move.
This man is a true warrior for all injured officers who deserve better from people who should know better. This is a clear indication to me that because an officer has a senior rank it clearly doesn’t follow that ability and common sense come on the same journey. My thoughts and support to all you suffering from this over indulgence of a man. 👍👍❤️
Another victory for common sense. We predicted long ago that Morgan’s day was coming, well it’s not far off now he’d better get ready. Oh, don’t forget to dislike this comment Morgan, like you have with the others, and your 3 chums.
The Staffs ex coppers should take this all the way by firstly the J. R, then bang the employment tribunal at the force which I believe is already in place pending the J. R… Then wipe the floor regarding miscalculated pensions that s.p (alledgelly) accidentally got wrong by taking personal legal action against them through the courts, any ex officer who has any doubts about their pension should look again at taking these forces to account as they may be short changing not just you but your family.. All the best to the Staffs Former Officers.. Hats off for having the sheer guts to take this on… And to A&S former officers, as well as the Northumbria ex officers.. We are all one.. We fight as one.
Congratulations to all those Staffs retired officers! One more step closer to ensuring that those Forces adapting the Regulations to suit their interpretations………… are brought to justice.
Looking forward to 2020 and…………more successful legal challenges.
A significant win for the fantastic team of David Lock, Ron, Angela and all those who have assisted them.
The war isn’t over yet though, but I can’t see how Morgan and co can make a case against the powerful arguments being put forward, without seriously embarrassing themselves.
The police and the public deserve better than this, Staffs Police are throwing thousands of taxpayers’ pounds at a case which is causing agonising stress for their own pensioners. This money could be far better spent on improving the safety of the people that they serve.
Hopefully we can now get Morgan and his staff involved in this into a courtroom where they will have to account for decision making, actions and provide disclosure fully on oath. These aggressive bullying tactics employed by Staffordshire Police will be open to full scrutiny not just by the courts but the press and more importantly the tax paying public to show how well their hard earned money is being spent or wasted, time for it to finally get into a court so we all have some finality and clarity on the regulations to put this nasty process being carried out by a few into the ground. To all involved within or supporting the iodpa I wish you a merry Christmas and Very Good hunting in2020
So what’s Morgan’s game ?
So Morgan made some morally and legally poor decisions whilst at Avon and Somerset. At the same time the force sought to cover up sexual assaults by an FMO.
Common factor, injured officers in receipt of injury awards. A and S spend a tidy sum on legal and SMP fees. The NET result no money saved, heartache for former officers with life changing duty injuries, bumper payday for the SMP and Barrister.
So you would think old DCC Morgan now CC at Staffs would reflect and not repeat the same mistakes.
Staffs now have several legal challenges in the form of Judicial Review and Employment Tribunal claims. Morgan appears hellbent on repeating his errors at A and S.
The question is why ?
Well done and pleased to see that Ron is still supporting officers that are being penalised long after they have been retired and easy target for blood money saving by forces ! Look forward to the update with mr Locke