A former senior police officer has denied telling lies or misleading an employment tribunal
Emma Bond, pictured in 2020 when she still working for the PSNI/RUC, claims she wanted to stay in Derry/L.Derry IMAGE SOURCE, PACEMAKER
Emma Bond has brought a sex discrimination case against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Ms Bond claimed that a colleague informed her the decision to move her from being a district commander in Londonderry had been predetermined by the two most senior PSNI officers.
However, this colleague told the tribunal he did not state this.
The case arises from an investigation into officers working from home for a short period during the pandemic.
Ms Bond alleges she had expressed concerns about working practices during this period and was subsequently discriminated against.
At the time, she was a chief superintendent and serving as the first female commander of the Derry City and Strabane policing district.
The tribunal, sitting in Belfast, had previously heard Ms Bond believed some officers were potentially guilty of gross misconduct or criminal behaviour when they did not report for duty. They believed they were allowed to be on stand-by from home.
After confronting officers and delivering "a rollicking", she herself became the subject of complaints.
One resulted in her being served with a notice for potential misconduct, but it was later withdrawn.
A decision was made to relocate Ms Bond by senior PSNI commanders during a meeting in September 2020, several months after she raised her concerns.
Emma Bond alleges she was told that PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne had "predetermined" her move to the force's training college. IMAGE SOURCE, PACEMAKER
Ms Bond previously told the tribunal that former Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts, now a Garda Assistant Commissioner, told her in a meeting in October 2020 that the PSNI chief constable and deputy chief constable had "predetermined" her move before meeting of commanders.
Mr Roberts told the tribunal on Thursday that he had been made aware of his involvement in the case after an article appeared in the press.
He said that he recalled having a meeting with Ms Bond but admitted that he had not made any notes in relation to this.
"It was an introduction meeting to discuss roles and responsibilities", he said.
He told the tribunal that the meeting was "informal" and he did not feel the need to make note of it, adding that it was only important in terms of relationship building.
When the comments that Ms Bond alleges were put to Mr Roberts, he stated: "That is inaccurate. It is not what I said."
Ms Bond was also cross-examined, with counsel representing the PSNI saying she either "misunderstood" what her colleague had told her or told the tribunal "something she knew to be untrue".
Ms Bond said she "refuted telling lies or misleading the tribunal", adding that what she wrote in her journal was the conversation she had with Mr Roberts.
The hearing continues.
With many thanks to: BBC News NI and Conor Neeson for the original story.
Follow these links to find out more on this story: PSNI/RUC are not only Misogynistic they are Racist and also Sectarian and they should face public 'misconduct hearings' in court and be named and shamed why should they be protected after conviction?
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