BBC security manager spent 12 hours studying CCTV to find who left kitchen mess

Telegraph

17 hours ago

A security manager at the BBC won a payout of more than £30,000 after he was sacked for spending 12 hours studying CCTV to see who left a mess in the kitchen, an employment tribunal heard.
Mohammad Rakib worked at the BBC Wales headquarters on behalf of the security contractor Mitie, but was sacked for gross misconduct for his 'superfluous' use of CCTV.
Mr Rakib was accused of breaching data protection rules by looking through CCTV without having the correct licence in May 2023.
He allegedly gave 'multiple' explanations for trawling the footage – including that he was trying to help someone find a lost bag – as well as claiming he could not remember the reason.
But another security worker told investigators Mr Rakib had told him he spent 12 hours viewing the tapes 'to catch who had made a mess in the kitchen'.
Mr Rakib claimed he was unfairly dismissed after Martyn Barrass, Mitie's investigator, informed Joel Adlington, the BBC's corporate security manager, of the issue.
In a letter to Mr Barrass, Mr Adlington said: 'The use of the BBC CCTV systems by a non-licenced staff member, without a DPA request or any oversight for what appears to be personal benefit or superfluous use is unacceptable and may put us in breach of ICO regulations and GDPR legislation.
'I must put on record that it is a significant breach of trust between the staff member and the organisation and you have my full support in your assessment of gross misconduct.'
Unfair dismissal
Mitie held a disciplinary hearing over the alleged CCTV misuse and Mr Rakib, who had relocated from London to Cardiff to take the role and worked for the company for eight years, was sacked. When his firing was upheld after an appeal, he went to an employment tribunal and won his case for unfair dismissal.
Judge Rachel Harfield said there was no indication in place in the company guidelines that the CCTV offence would amount to gross misconduct.
She said: 'There was no clear picture before the respondent as to what the claimant's training was, and they had not given him any training themselves or any standard operating procedures on CCTV usage for example.
Judge Harfield said Mr Rakib was now only earning the minimum wage as a security officer at SGD Guarding.
She said: 'It took the claimant eight years and a move to Cardiff to get promoted. The claimant says he is now at back of the queue at SGD Guarding in terms of promotion opportunities. He says he thinks it will take another five years.'