The Government have capitulated over the granting of psychiatric injury awards when faced with a looming court challenge.
Regulation 12 of The Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations 2006 allows for an additional ‘Disablement gratuity’ to injured officers where it could be shown that within 12 months of so receiving their injury, they become or became totally and permanently disabled as a result of that injury.
It was successfully argued that the regulations discriminated against officers with mental health conditions such as PTSD, as often the full extent of these types of injuries are not fully recognised until after the 12 month time limit. This will provide parity for officers with mental health injuries compared to those with physical injuries.
The Government have also agreed to review this part of the regulations.
Congratulations to Ron Thompson of Haven Solicitors, David Lock QC and Leon Glenister of Landmark Chambers for bringing this successful case.
Here is the press release –
It appears that the ‘mistakes’ made by the people who administer the police injury benefit scheme are far too numerous and widespread to be put down to simple human error.
What is needed is an independent enquiry into the whole business. I would not be surprised if it would reveal that certain individuals have mounted a deliberate campaign to erode and deny disabled former officers their pension rights.
Well done to all involved in righting this massive injustice. When will the powers that be start and use common sense and humanity in dealing with these matters instead of causing misery to those that they profess to care about….the IOD’s…..
Excellent result ,Congratulations to Ron Thompson of Haven Solicitors, David Lock QC and Leon Glenister of Landmark Chambers for bringing this successful case.
Police forces need to take note that they are not above the law, and should follow the correct law! and stop wasting tax payers money…
Excellent result it’s nice to see justice being served at last, congratulations to al concerned, especially the officer concerned paving the way for other who will follow outstanding
I still look in wonder how this person got to the position he has.. He is a scruffy (I’m not political correct I say it as I see it) uninspiring person who has to my amazement achieved the dizzy height of chief constable.. He has gone on TV ( which has done him no favours.. Crying.. Supposedly.. Great we have a chief constable who blubs for sympathy..) complaining a nick he worked at is now shut.. He failed to mention they all shut under his watch as the boss to satisfy the idiot we have as crime commissioner.. Mathew Ellis is unfortunately for the people of Staffordshire our crime commissioner for 12 more months.. Lichfield will be well policed for next year then.. And Stoke can rot policing wise.. What a pair.. I can’t believe within the space of Morgans Time at the helm we have gone from being one of the best police services (forces) to a sad state where we grade immediate responses(I. R) because our senior management ( let’s be honest all of our top cops would stay locked in a car because they conviniently forgot their personal equipment).. Its a shambles.. We have a mouse of a man as second In command who is also out for his own interests .. And has no guile to take the boss to account now and then.. Its a disgrace.. Shame on you all.
How interesting that on this blog there are no down arrows. It is almost like those bullies who were doing it have been caught out!! That will also make *those* Forces and *those* individuals look really petty and spiteful *if* and *when * the stories of the Individual IOD officers appear in the National Press, together with how they have been treated and what has been said and done to them.
Talk about a loss in Public Confidence – off the scale I would suggest!! How these high and mighty hypocrites preach and present themselves to the public as being “Honest” “With Integrity” – those key attributes of Policing – well apparently, just until an officer becomes injured on duty – through no fault of their own – and then the whole machinery of dishonesty and corruption from those very Forces (only some I stress) and Individuals who apparently “Lead”!!! kicks into action. An utter National disgrace and Scandal -waiting to come to the light. It’s called Karma folks!!
As the Buddha said: three things which can’t long be hidden – the Sun, the Moon and THE TRUTH.
Excellent result and a massive thanks to All involved. It’s such a shame that it had to be challenged with the threat of a court case but now hopefully this will be reviewed for the good of all mentally injured officers
Congratulations to Ron Thompson of Haven Solicitors and David Lock QC alongside Leon Glenister from Landmark Chambers.
When common sense prevails and there is potentially a glimmer of recognition of the requirement for real justice, which acknowledges that damage and injury caused in the course of one’s public duty can be many faceted, then finally we see that there might be hope for recognition of the respect which is due to these officers. It should be easy for the top brass, treat everyone with the humility and dignity with which you demand to be treated and all would be fair. If you continue to treat your colleagues, those who have had your back and who now you choose to stab in their backs, with indignity and without compassion, then you may find yourself before the court again, losing again. The choice, as they say, is yours!
Well done to all involved on a great result. One for the good guys!
Congratulations to Ron Thompson of Haven Solicitors, David Lock QC and Leon Glenister of Landmark Chambers for bringing this successful case.
It is just sad that we have to continue fighting the forces and government to get what we are entitled to.
All forces take note – we are getting stronger, and we will fight you all the way. Stop wasting public money on these futile cases and follow the Regulations – it’s not hard to do.
The next case we win will stop you all in your tracks – it’s getting closer Mr Morgan!!!
This is an important victory for all IOD pensioners, whether their injury is mental or physical. It will hopefully also be of great benefit to serving officers who are due to be pensioned off as a result of duty-related mental injury.
The effect of this development is so widespread as it yet another clear signal to all who seek to abuse their duty to administer the injury pension regulations in a fair and lawful manner.
No longer can forces think there will be no consequences where they keep pensioners and serving officers in the dark about their rights, or rely on their isolation and disablement weakening all ability and will to challenge maladministration. Slowly, but surely, the avenues for institutional corruption are being closed down.
Pensioners are now better informed, better organised and extremely well served by expert, experienced, consistently successful legal representation.
And once again the government has to be dragged to steps of the High Court before they concede and now promise to do the right thing.
Making seriously ill former officers go through hell no because they trust that the injured officers will have neither the funds or the determination to take them to court. Well once again they got it wrong.
Well done to those that persevered through all the stress and worry in pursuing this case and their excellent legal team.
When I read an article like this, it fills my heart with hope and gladness that Justice still exists. What a fantastic result.
Thank you for those individuals who were hard working and dedicated Police Officers before they became ill -through no fault of their own, before being subjected to the dishonesty and manipulation of *some* Forces and *some* bent FME’s/SMP’s at a time when they are vulnerable and ill. It is great to know that there exists such professional and competent Legal Experts who will stop at nothing to obtain fairness, contrary to the sometimes murky attempts to prevent this.
So a big Thank You to all involved, on behalf of the Police Officers made ill in the course of their public service, for their families and friends who are forced to witness previously strong and brave public serving Individuals suffer terribly – yet then get subjected to a form of torture by *some* of the very Forces they signed up to loyally serve, during the dishonest inhumane process, merely concerned with saving money.
I am also sure that the vast majority of the law abiding public who represent the very people that any decent Police Officer joined up to help (as opposed to*some* ranked officers who only joined up to serve themselves) would also expect there to be justice and fairness in the system.
Of course it will be interesting when some of the Police Officers who have been psychologically injured during the course of their duties start telling their experiences to the National Press, complete with the names of the dodgy Forces and “Doctors” – (I use the term in the lightest sense you understand) involved, together with details of what has been said and done to them. But I am sure that if they have acted ethically they will have nothing to worry or feel embarrassed about will they? When their pictures start getting plastered for all to see replete with their comments. Because of course we all know that “All Abuse Thrives Behind Closed Doors”, I don’t suppose that they thought they could get away with saying and doing what they wanted, safe in the knowledge that they are “Professionals!!” and everything would remain behind closed doors did they?” Ooh, when the full light of day shines, true colours will be shown and Karma does know everybody’s address. The futures looking bright 🙂
Well done David Lock QC, Ron Thompson of Haven Solicitors and Leon Glenister of Landmark Chambers.
How many more times do these cases need to be tested in the courts, before certain police forces treat injured officers with understanding and respect?
Well done to David Lock QC and his gallant team
Well done to David Lock,QC and all the team involved.
Another excellent result!!
I’m glad the Govt have capitulated regarding this issue, but I’m sure it was not done willingly.
I’m sure they know, (like many Chief Officers), the position, but they seem to want to ignore the tremendous mental strain that being a modern police officer experiences and often suffers from.
Low numbers, increasing demand, long hours, cancelled rest days & holidays are all adding to that pressure and now Covid 19 is the icing on the cake!
A police officers life is already stressful enough, but add in injury on duty, or mental health issues including PTSD from assaults, incidents, or actually doing the job. They know that it’s a pressure cooker, that it’s building up to a likely epidemic of officers failing soon, not because they are weak, or don’t care, but purely because they are human & we can all fail eventually, if put under such constant pressure.
They resisted having PTSD as a Reg 12 issue by using delay etc., knowing the likely cost in £££’s, if the didn’t.
Now they have conceded, the cynicism I have for modern Chief Officers & the Home Office, is telling me that they will be busy, not planning on how to help the poor officers, who have given their all, but to devising new ways to prevent them getting their rights.
In this I say ‘Well Done’, David Lock QC, and to Ron Thompson & staff at Haven Solicitors, plus not forgetting to mention IODPA, who have and are doing a great job in informing officers of their rights & bringing them all together.
To use an analogy, we used to be seen as weak individual Wildebeest on the edge of the herd and easy prey for the predatory Chiefs, but now, with IODPA’s help we are a tight herd and getting stronger. No longer are Chiefs finding it easy to pick off individuals, although they try.
There is a simple solution to all of this…..stick to the regs and support your injured officers, stop looking on them as a drain on your resources?