Police inspector who gave evidence at sexism tribunal charged with perjury

A senior police officer who gave evidence in an employment tribunal that ruled a female member of force staff was victimised has been charged with perjury.

Inspector Keith Warhurst, 48, spoke during the case brought by Rhona Malone, which found evidence of a “boys’ club” culture within Police Scotland’s firearms unit.

The tribunal came about after Warhurst sparked fury with an email in 2018 that said two female firearms officers should not be deployed together when “sufficient male staff” were on duty.

He said it made “more sense from a search, balance of testosterone perspective”.

A settlement was reached last year in which Ms Malone received nearly £1m from Police Scotland.

Sky News understands Warhurst has been suspended from the force.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Thursday 17 August 2023, a 48-year-old man was charged in connection with a perjury offence.

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“A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

The tribunal in 2021 heard that Ms Malone, who was based in Edinburgh, had a promising police career.

It accepted evidence that there was an “absolute boys’ club” culture within the armed response vehicle team.

In its judgment, the tribunal upheld Ms Malone’s claims of victimisation, however her claim of direct discrimination was dismissed.

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Ms Malone’s solicitor, Margaret Gribbon, said the findings were a watershed moment for Police Scotland.

She stated that her client and all those who gave evidence on her behalf had exposed the “ugly and rampant culture of sexism and misogyny” within the force.

Ms Malone, who retired as an officer in 2020, was awarded £947,909.07. She also received a personal apology from the then chief constable, Sir Iain Livingstone.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland was ordered to carry out an independent review of the judgment.

The report, by Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, recommended that “training should be rolled out to all officers and staff on equality and diversity” – with this initially focused on areas of the force where “there is a perceived ‘men’s club’ culture”.

The report, published last year, went on to “strongly recommend that the structures, recruitment, selection processes pertaining to the firearms unit are reviewed, to ensure that they are fully compatible with equality legislation, and that any barriers to selection are addressed”.

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