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Plebgate row: police officer sacked over leaks to the press Plebgate row: police officer sacked over leaks to the press
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A police constable has been sacked over leaks to the press linked to the Plebgate row, Scotland Yard has said. One of the police officers who was at Downing Street on the night of the altercation with the then-chief whip Andrew Mitchell has been sacked by the Metropolitan police for leaking information to the media.
Gillian Weatherley was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, orders and instructions, confidentiality, discreditable conduct, and challenging and reporting improper conduct in a three-day misconduct hearing. Gillian Weatherley was on duty on 19 September 2012, with PC Toby Rowland, when Mitchell tried to cycle through the gates and engaged in an argument with the officers when he was told to dismount and walk through. Weatherley was investigated by Operation Alice, the Met police investigation into the Plebgate affair. The director of public prosecutions advised that no one should be charged over the leaking of the incident, because it was likely a jury would decide it was in the public interest for the events at the gate to be made public.
She was on duty in Downing Street on the day of the confrontation between the then chief whip, Andrew Mitchell, and fellow officer Toby Rowland in September 2012. But after a gross misconduct hearing into Weatherley's actions, a Met police panel has decided the case against her is proven and said she had breached standards of professional behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, orders, instructions and confidentiality.
The next day Weatherley sent a photograph of an email that Rowland had sent to his bosses about the row to another officer, James Glanville. He was later sacked for leaking the information to the Sun newspaper. The panel found that Weatherley, one of the two officers on duty that night, spoke to another diplomatic protection officer, James Glanville, the following day and sent him a photograph of an email sent by Rowland to his supervisors about what took place. Weatherley then exchanged 12 text messages with Glanville over the next two days, which she later deleted.
Weatherley was found guilty of gross misconduct after the hearing before a panel that included an independent representative, a superintendent and Commander Julian Bennett. Glanville was sacked in February for gross misconduct for passing information to the Sun. He also provided the newspaper with a copy of Rowland's email describing the confrontation to his superiors.
As well as sending the photograph to Glanville, Scotland Yard said Weatherley went on to exchange 12 text messages with him in the days following the confrontation, all of which she later deleted. The panel also found that Weatherley gave misleading and inaccurate statements to detectives on Operation Alice.
The force said she had given "inaccurate and misleading" statements to officers investigating the aftermath of the row, and had been suspended from duty since her arrest in February last year. Prosecutors have already decided not to press charges. Weatherley had been suspended since her arrest in February. Mitchell resigned as chief whip in the wake of the controversy.
Rowland continues his libel action against Mitchell, who has accused him publicly of lying about the dispute between the two men at the gates of Downing Street. Papers submitted to the high court reveal Rowland is seeking damages of up to £200,000 from the former chief whip.
He claims Mitchell swore at the police and called them "fucking plebs" – words Mitchell has denied using. Rowland emailed his superiors after the incident because he feared repercussions as a result of the altercation.
Rowland said his reputation had been damaged by Mitchell's remarks and he suffered "great distress humiliation and upset". He is seeking damages and aggravated damages for libel and, if appropriate, for slander.
Rowland is not facing any disciplinary or criminal proceedings as a result of what took place in Downing Street.
Two further diplomatic protection officers also face the sack for gross misconduct in panels that will take place soon. Another officer, PC Keith Wallis, was jailed for a year in February after he admitted lying about witnessing the Plebgate row.