Met cost-cutter sacked over car trip

A senior civilian Met staff member who slashed the use of police hire cars was sacked for driving one of the force's vehicles to a wedding in Scotland, an employment tribunal heard.

Director of logistics John Whitaker, 57, was in charge of a £100million budget and had dramatically cut the use of hire cars and chauffeurs.

He was sacked for gross misconduct after a disciplinary board ruled he was improperly using Met cars to travel to his home in Sheffield and then to a relative's wedding in Scotland. But Mr Whitaker said he was evaluating the car on a long journey and paid back petrol costs.

He says the real reason for his dismissal was the Met wanted to remove older people from the payroll and that he had "pissed off" people with his cost cutting. The Met denies unfair dismissal and age discrimination.

The London tribunal continues.