Whitehall sacks mole in payout leak

A civil servant who exposed government plans to slash payouts to crime victims has been sacked after a Whitehall molehunt, the Evening Standard has learned.

Ministers were embarrassed about last month's leak of secret proposals to save £25 million from payouts made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel. The panel distributes ?150 million a year to victims of assault and sex attacks.

The proposal would slash the award to a child who had suffered a serious sexual assault from £4,400 to £3,000 - the same as for a broken ankle. There would be no change to the current maximum of £250,000, but smaller payouts across the board.

The molehunt led to an official in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform who was sacked on the spot and escorted from the building.

In a memo to Home Office staff yesterday, permanent secretary John Gieve said the mole had been sacked and warned against future leaks.