Latest news with #AndrewHamiltonGray
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK stands by newly-elected councillor sacked by police
A Reform UK council leader has defended one of his newly-elected colleagues after it was revealed he had been sacked from his role as a police Hamilton-Gray won a seat on Leicestershire County Council in this month's local elections when Reform became the largest party on the it has emerged Hamilton-Gray was dismissed by Leicestershire Police last year after a misconduct hearing found he had called in sick, to travel to Spain, when he should have been working as a Harrison, who was elected as the council's leader on Wednesday, told the BBC the former police officer was an "honourable, decent man". Hamilton-Gray was elected to the senior civic role as county council vice-chairman on Conservative council leader Deborah Taylor called for the councillor, who represents the Loughborough North West division, to be suspended claiming vital information about him had been withheld from the BBC approached Hamilton-Gray about these remarks but he said he had been advised not to asked if there would be a suspension, Harrison said this would not happen."It's unfortunate, but he's an innocent person - he's not doing anything wrong," he said."I'm defending him strongly because he's an honourable, decent man." Hamilton-Gray was sacked by Leicestershire Police for breaching professional standards on "honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities".His page on LinkedIn advertises a consultancy advising "high-end dealerships in the luxury car market".Leicestershire Police Federation, which represented the former officer, has confirmed that his misconduct hearing related to selling luxury panel heard that the force had given him permission to run a car sales business in his own misconduct panel heard that PC Gray, as he was then known, applied for leave to deliver a car to Barcelona in April of his leave request was rejected. But a week later, he booked a return ferry ticket from Portsmouth, returning over two days when he was scheduled to reported in sick only hours before the outward sailing, the panel heard.A month later, two police officers stopped PC Gray in the passenger seat of a vintage red Porsche. The panel heard that he was giving a potential buyer a test drive while he was signed off PC Gray's dismissal, Leicestershire's then Chief Constable Rob Nixon described his conduct as "deliberate" and "planned" has been on the College of Policing barred list since his dismissal from the force.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Reform councillor elected in party's May landslide revealed as former policeman who was sacked for calling in sick then taking boat trip to Spain
A newly elected Reform UK councillor who promised to serve with 'honour, integrity and transparency' was sacked from a police force last year after calling in sick – so he could take a boat trip to Spain, it has been revealed. Andrew Hamilton-Gray was one of a tide of 677 Reform councillors elected in around 1,750 seats at local authority polls in England earlier this month. But it has emerged the new Leicestershire county councillor was sacked from the local police force in January 2024 after he was found to have breached professional standards on 'honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities'. In a message to constituents in Loughborough North West earlier this month, Hamilton-Gray said he had spent most of his life 'serving the Crown' and stood 'ready to do my duty once more'. But a Leicestershire Police misconduct hearing was told last year how Mr Gray, then known as PC Andrew Gray, took a trip to Barcelona in 2023 in connection with his classic car sales business, despite being refused leave. The officer had been given permission to run the business in his own time. The disciplinary hearing was told PC Gray tried to book leave for the trip to deliver a car between Saturday, April 29, and Wednesday, May 3. But leave was not granted for the final two days of the trip as there was a ban on time off leading up to the King's Coronation on Saturday, May 6, the hearing report stated. Nonetheless, PC Gray booked a return ferry trip from Portsmouth which took him out of the country between Thursday, April 27, and May 3, and called in sick on the day of the outward crossing, the BBC revealed. While abroad, he texted a colleague to say he would be back on Monday, May 1, in time for his shift, the hearing was told. But the force ruled that was 'untrue and intended to mislead', and said there was no evidence that the then PC had attempted to travel home that day. The misconduct hearing found that was one of two occasions when he reported sick to pursue his outside business interests. A panel were told how he later produced a sicknote excusing him from work for all of June 2023. But on June 8, two police officers stopped PC Gray in the passenger seat of a vintage red Porsche. The panel heard that he was giving a potential buyer a test drive while he was signed off sick. Leicestershire Police said this implied PC Gray was 'carrying out (his) business interest while absent through sickness'. Chief Constable Robert Nixon ruled the behaviour amounted to gross misconduct. Mr Gray, now 47, was dismissed from the force without notice. The chief constable said Gray must have known his leave was rejected when he booked his travel, and his dishonesty was intended to 'facilitate his trip' to Barcelona. He described the officer's conduct as 'deliberate' and 'planned' deception. 'Misconduct of this nature undermines discipline and good order within the police service and is likely to undermine confidence in policing,' he said. 'While this misconduct was confined to a single episode within a long and distinguished police career, it is with a heavy heart, having considered the full circumstances of the case and the guidance, I find the appropriate outcome in this case is dismissal without notice.' Mr Hamilton-Gray was placed on the College of Policing's barred list following his dismissal from the force. Hamilton-Gray's page on LinkedIn advertised a consultancy advising 'high-end dealerships in the luxury car market'. It said he has over 13 years of experience in the industry, with expertise in marketing brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley and McLaren. The page has now been deleted. He is listed as a registered director of two Loughborough-based car sales companies, Speedster Cars Ltd and Savitar Holdings Ltd, plus a consultancy business based in the town. The website boasts of being a family-run company which is 'proud of what we do and how we go about it'. Hamilton-Gray resigned as a director of another car firm, Hamilton Grays Ltd, in December 2017. The newly elected councillor told voters he stood ready to 'do my duty once more' Mr Hamilton-Gray's LinkedIn profile boasted of his years of experience dealing in prestige marques such as Ferrari and Lamborghini It is understood that he was in the car business prior to becoming a police officer. Mr Hamilton-Gray was elected to represent Loughborough North West with 40 per cent of the vote, beating Labour into second place. Mr Hamilton-Gray told MailOnline he had been advised by the party not to comment. Reform UK was approached for comment. Earlier this month, the party was forced to clarify that it would continue to fly county standards from council buildings following a row over the flying of the Leicestershire flag. The party's chairman Zia Yusuf had earlier announced that 'Reform-controlled English councils will move at speed to resolve that the only flags permitted to be flown on or in its buildings will be the Union Jack and St George's flag'. Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth, Dr Luke Evans, asked whether it meant 'Leicestershire County Council would not be able to fly the Leicestershire county flag', which features symbols including a running fox and a red and white zigzag motif derived from the arms of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. The Tories lost control of Leicestershire County Council at the local elections, with Reform now the largest party but falling short of an overall majority. But the party took control of ten local authorities in England, including Lancashire, Durham and Staffordshire.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
New Reform UK councillor was sacked from police for calling in sick before travelling to Spain
A newly elected Reform UK councillor was sacked from his previous job as a police officer after reporting illness before travelling to Spain to sell a luxury sports car. Andrew Hamilton-Gray shaded victory over Labour on 2 May, receiving nearly 40 per cent of the vote to win a seat in Loughborough at the Leicestershire County Council elections in a glorious night for Nigel Farage's party. But it has since emerged he was sacked as a Leicestershire Police officer after he called in sick hours before taking a ferry to Spain. He was dismissed from the force in January 2024 for breaching professional standards on 'honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities'. Mr Hamilton-Gray applied for holiday leave to deliver a car to Barcelona in April 2023, but it was partly rejected, a misconduct panel heard. A week later, he was found to have booked a return ferry ticket to Spain from Portsmouth despite being scheduled to patrol the streets. The next month, he was stopped by police in a vintage red Porsche as he gave a customer a test drive whilst being signed off sick. Dismissing PC Gray, then chief constable Rob Nixon described his conduct as a 'deliberate' and 'planned' deception. He said: 'PC Gray's conduct in this case was deliberate and he is solely responsible for his actions. 'Misconduct of this nature undermines discipline and good order within the police service and is likely to undermine confidence in policing. 'While this misconduct was confined to a single episode within a long and distinguished police career, it is with a heavy heart having considered the full circumstances of the case and the guidance, I find the appropriate outcome in this case is dismissal without notice.' On his LinkedIn profile, Mr Hamilton-Gray wrote of securing deals for pre-owned Ferrari, Maserati, and Porsche sports cars in a second job alongside being a police officer. Mr Hamilton-Gray had been given permission by the force to pursue a second business interest in car sales on the condition that police work took precedence, and he didn't work for the company when signed off for illness or injury. Reform UK took 25 seats on 2 May, enough to relinquish the Conservatives' 24-year grip on Leicestershire County Hall. After his election win, Mr Hamilton-Gray thanked voters, claiming he would serve 'constituents with honour, integrity and transparency'. He said: 'I never aspired to a career in politics, however, witnessing the horrendous leadership currently taking place in our beautiful country, I could not stand back and do nothing. 'I have spent most of my life serving the crown and it is my honour to do so again as your representative at the council table. 'The values and ethics of Reform represent common sense and a love for this amazing country that quite frankly, has been lacking in modern politics for far too long.' He added: 'Today it's time for action, and with thanks to your vote, we can now start to get our great country back, not just for us now but for our children and their children. I stand ready to do my duty once more for this incredible country and make it something to be proud of once again, county by county.' Reform UK and Mr Hamilton-Gray have been contacted for comment by The Independent. Mr Hamilton-Gray told the BBC he has been advised not to comment.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New councillor Andrew Hamilton-Gray revealed as sacked policeman
The BBC can reveal that a newly-elected Leicestershire County Councillor was sacked from the police last year. Andrew Hamilton-Gray won a seat in Loughborough for Reform, with almost 40% of the vote. It has now emerged that a police misconduct hearing in January 2024 found he had called in sick, to travel to Spain, when he should have been working as a misconduct hearing found that was one of two occasions when he reported sick to pursue his outside business interests. Posting on social media after his election on 1 May, Hamilton-Gray said he had spent most of his life "serving the Crown".He pledged to serve Loughborough North West "with honour, integrity and transparency". Now it has emerged that he was a former police officer, and had been dismissed from Leicestershire Police in January was sacked for breaching professional standards on "honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities". Hamilton-Gray's page on LinkedIn advertises a consultancy advising "high-end dealerships in the luxury car market".It says he has over 13 years experience in the industry, with expertise in marketing brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley and Police Federation, which represented the former officer, has confirmed that his misconduct hearing related to selling luxury panel heard that the force had given him permission to run a car sales business in his own time. The misconduct panel heard that PC Gray, as he was then known, applied for leave to deliver a car to Barcelona in April of his leave request was rejected. But a week later, he booked a return ferry ticket from Portsmouth, returning over two days when he was scheduled to reported in sick only hours before the outward sailing, the panel heard.A month later, two police officers stopped PC Gray in the passenger seat of a vintage red Porsche. The panel heard that he was giving a potential buyer a test-drive while he was signed off sick. After PC Gray's dismissal, Leicestershire's then Chief Constable Rob Nixon described his conduct as "deliberate" and "planned" deception."Misconduct of this nature undermines discipline and good order within the police service and is likely to undermine confidence in policing."While this misconduct was confined to a single episode within a long and distinguished police career, it is with a heavy heart, having considered the full circumstances of the case and the guidance, I find the appropriate outcome in this case is dismissal without notice." Hamilton-Gray has been on the College of Policing barred list since his dismissal from the Leicestershire told the BBC he has been advised not to comment. He is listed as a registered director of two Loughborough-based companies, Speedster Cars Ltd and Hamilton Gray Consultancy resigned as a director of another car firm, Hamilton Grays Ltd, in December UK has also been approached for comment.
