Met worker fired for card abuse

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A Scotland Yard worker has been sacked for abusing a new "robust" corporate credit card and two officers are being investigated over its alleged misuse.

The civilian employee bought personal goods through the revamped system.

The new Barclaycards were issued after 1,183 officers and staff misused their previous American Express cards.

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) called the latest case "staggering" but Metropolitan Police said the sacking proved the system was working.

Two further cases of suspected misuse are being investigated.

A third case was reported but the alleged perpetrator has since left the Met.

Earlier this year an MPA audit found that one in three of the 3,533 Met officers and staff issued with corporate American Express credit cards misused them.

After all the publicity about Amex we have got three people already under review with the new card. I find it staggering, quite honestly Caroline Pidgeon,Metropolitan Police Authority

Fifty cases were referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission but the majority of employees involved were given "training and guidance" instead of punishment.

At one point £3.7m of public money was unaccounted for but most of this has been paid back.

The Met introduced the "robust" new Barclaycard system in June last year to ensure staff used resources "appropriately".

MPA member Caroline Pidgeon said she was shocked by the latest investigation.

She said: "After all the publicity about Amex (American Express) we have got three people already under review with the new card. I find it staggering, quite honestly."

But Met director of resources Anne McMeel said the inquiries were evidence that the new system was picking up potential problems.

She said: "We are looking at this and they are being picked up. If people are misusing them we are picking it up and getting on it.

"No system is absolutely perfect but we are very conscious of the need to make sure this is properly controlled within the organisation."