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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Former firearms officers says £1m payout will not make up for pain | Former firearms officers says £1m payout will not make up for pain |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ms Malone won an employment tribunal case against Police Scotland | Ms Malone won an employment tribunal case against Police Scotland |
| A former firearms officer awarded £1m from Police Scotland says no amount of compensation will "ever make up for the pain and sacrifices" she made. | A former firearms officer awarded £1m from Police Scotland says no amount of compensation will "ever make up for the pain and sacrifices" she made. |
| Rhona Malone was victimised while working for the force, an employment tribunal ruled last year. | Rhona Malone was victimised while working for the force, an employment tribunal ruled last year. |
| It found evidence of a sexist culture in her armed policing unit. | It found evidence of a sexist culture in her armed policing unit. |
| Ms Malone said she was failed by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers. | Ms Malone said she was failed by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers. |
| She said she was still trying to seek "accountability" from other organisations, including the Scottish Police Authority. | She said she was still trying to seek "accountability" from other organisations, including the Scottish Police Authority. |
| Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has personally apologised to Ms Malone. | Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has personally apologised to Ms Malone. |
| The Scottish Police Federation said it had a "long and proud history" of assisting members in discrimination cases. | |
| Police pay out almost £1m over sexism case | Police pay out almost £1m over sexism case |
| Ex-officer says police federation abandoned her | Ex-officer says police federation abandoned her |
| Sexist 'boys' club' culture in armed police unit | Sexist 'boys' club' culture in armed police unit |
| In a statement published a day after her £947,909.07 compensation deal was confirmed, Ms Malone said the last few years had been "excruciating and torturous". | In a statement published a day after her £947,909.07 compensation deal was confirmed, Ms Malone said the last few years had been "excruciating and torturous". |
| But she said she hoped her experience of winning a victimisation claim against the force at an employment tribunal would "benefit many women now and in the future". | But she said she hoped her experience of winning a victimisation claim against the force at an employment tribunal would "benefit many women now and in the future". |
| Ms Malone began her action against Police Scotland after a senior police officer said he did not want to see two female armed officers deployed together when there were sufficient male staff on duty. | Ms Malone began her action against Police Scotland after a senior police officer said he did not want to see two female armed officers deployed together when there were sufficient male staff on duty. |
| The tribunal accepted evidence that there was an "absolute boys' club" culture within the armed response vehicle team in the east of Scotland. | The tribunal accepted evidence that there was an "absolute boys' club" culture within the armed response vehicle team in the east of Scotland. |
| In its judgment last October, it upheld Ms Malone's claims of victimisation. However, her claim of direct discrimination was dismissed. | |
| 'Grossly underestimated' | 'Grossly underestimated' |
| Ms Malone's statement went on to say she was grateful for the options and opportunities open to her following the payout from Police Scotland. | |
| But she said they came at a "great cost" to herself, her family and her career. | |
| "I would like it to be known that no amount of compensation would ever make up for the pain or sacrifices I made to hold Police Scotland to account but it will enable me to continue with my quest for holding them and others answerable for their actions," she said. | |
| And the former firearms officer criticised the actions of both Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Federation for their conduct. | |
| "Both organisations failed me and grossly underestimated my determination for acknowledgment and accountability," she said. | "Both organisations failed me and grossly underestimated my determination for acknowledgment and accountability," she said. |
| Rhona Malone was a police firearms officer | |
| Ms Malone said the federation withdrew legal support for her case in 2019 when she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and accept a "derisory" financial settlement. | Ms Malone said the federation withdrew legal support for her case in 2019 when she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and accept a "derisory" financial settlement. |
| As a result she was left with costs running into six figures. | As a result she was left with costs running into six figures. |
| "At a time when I was at my most vulnerable and reliant on their support financially and mentally, I was abandoned, ignored, and discarded," she said. | "At a time when I was at my most vulnerable and reliant on their support financially and mentally, I was abandoned, ignored, and discarded," she said. |
| "I should not have been put in this position as a fully paid-up member of the federation," Ms Malone added. "Sadly, I know from other female police officers who have reached out to me that my experiences with the federation are not unique." | "I should not have been put in this position as a fully paid-up member of the federation," Ms Malone added. "Sadly, I know from other female police officers who have reached out to me that my experiences with the federation are not unique." |
| 'Leading change' | |
| The federation said it withdrew legal assistance following independent legal advice that the settlement terms were "unlikely to be better than what a tribunal would award". | |
| It added that the federation continued to support Ms Malone throughout the tribunal, with one official giving evidence on her behalf. | |
| "Ms Malone's claims that she was abandoned, ignored and discarded by the Federation are demonstrably untrue," the federation added. | |
| "We are nonetheless pleased that for Ms Malone, this matter has finally been resolved." | |
| Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has personally apologised to Ms Malone for issues highlighted in the tribunal, according to a joint statement issued by Police Scotland and their former employee on Friday. | |
| It said the chief constable was committed to "leading change" in policing in Scotland to improve the experiences of women. | It said the chief constable was committed to "leading change" in policing in Scotland to improve the experiences of women. |
| Meanwhile the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is carrying out a review of the employment tribunal decision, and it is in its final stages. | Meanwhile the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is carrying out a review of the employment tribunal decision, and it is in its final stages. |
| A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Authority said: "The chief constable has been clear that there is no place for victimisation or misogyny in policing and reinforced his commitment to driving improvement which the authority fully supports. | A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Authority said: "The chief constable has been clear that there is no place for victimisation or misogyny in policing and reinforced his commitment to driving improvement which the authority fully supports. |
| "We will continue to oversee and seek assurance around the progress and pace of change within policing and consider any recommendations from the PSNI review in due course." | "We will continue to oversee and seek assurance around the progress and pace of change within policing and consider any recommendations from the PSNI review in due course." |