Former RUC officers seek High Court hearing

Two Northern Ireland police officers who accuse a senior colleague of making bogus allegations against them, are to apply to the High Court for their case to be heard.

Chief Inspector Charlotte Cartwright, 48, and former Constable Raymond McMichael, 58, are seeking to overturn an Industrial Tribunal ruling preventing them from presenting evidence against former Superintendent Roland Laird.

Both officers took out victimisation cases after disciplinary proceedings were launched against them alleging they compromised Mr Laird’s personal security during an earlier sex discrimination case.

They are claiming that in bringing the allegations Mr Laird was motivated by revenge rather than concern about his security.

Mr McMichael claims he was driven out of his job because he gave evidence supporting Ms Cartwright in a sex discrimination case more than four years ago.

During this case he gave evidence that he overheard Mr Laird making disparaging remarks about Ms Cartwright.

Ms Cartwright also claims she was victimised because of complaints she made against Mr Laird during the previous case.

Tribunal chairman Mrs Mayo Price ruled that the case must be confined to the start of disciplinary proceedings and should not focus on the earlier tribunal case.

Mr McMichael’s barrister, Eamon McArdle, applying for an adjournment, accused the tribunal of limiting the scope of the case by preventing him from presenting the background to the disciplinary proceedings.

“It is a crucial part of the applicant’s case that disciplinary action was instigated against him for a particular reason in connection with the evidence he gave at the tribunal.

“We find it very difficult to present the case if he isn’t allowed to revert to that tribunal case.”

Mr McArdle, who also represents Ms Cartwright, applied for an adjournment so he could seek leave for a judicial review of the ruling.

“It is a basic part of the applicants’ case that there was no merit in Supt Laird’s case, that it was a trumped up allegation and it was a bogus allegation.”

Mr McArdle asked the tribunal to produce copies of its ruling in writing so that it could apply to the High Court.

Earlier, Mr McArdle said Mr McMichael was forced to take early retirement in April 2001 because of the stress he suffered after the disciplinary proceedings were launched.

The barrister said his client had an unblemished 30 years of service after joining the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1969.

“In a matter of 15 months of giving evidence to an industrial tribunal on behalf of the complainant in a sex discrimination case – Ms Cartwright – he believes he was driven out of his job.

“He left his job under a cloud of allegations, a disciplinary investigation and the threat of criminal proceedings for alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act,” added Mr McArdle.

The hearing was adjourned until a later date.