3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Newport RAF veteran forced out of military seeks apology
This renewed expression of contrition follows an Argus report into the case of Kevin Jones, a Lliswerry man now living with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Kevin is seeking accountability for the premature end of his military career, which he says was unfairly derailed due to his sexuality.
Kevin told the Argus that he jumped before he was pushed, describing the suspicion, scrutiny and pressure he endured while serving as a gay man. He now seeks access to his service records in pursuit of redress; however, records have gone missing, which Kevin finds as frustrating as the lack of an apology and accountability.
"I just want my apology and an explanation of why my records were destroyed. Without them, what can I prove?" Kevin said.
In response to the story, the Ministry of Defence expressed deep regret over the treatment of LGBT personnel between 1967 and 2000, describing it as wholly wrong and completely unacceptable. However, it stopped short of speaking about Kevin's individual case.
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Kevin has said his efforts toward justice have been obstructed by the destruction of documentation during a 'shredding party' that saw thousands of cases erased. The MOD said the record destruction was in line with government policy and data protection legislation. The MOD confirmed that most records relating to decriminalised sexual offences were destroyed between 2010 and 2011. Officials stated that these documents were considered to hold no further investigative value and contained sensitive personal information.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a stricter successor to earlier data laws, was incorporated into British law in 2018.
Kevin continues to seek answers and accountability for the loss of his otherwise unblemished career.
The general apology coincides with the ongoing Government Financial Recognition Scheme, launched on 13 December, 2024. The scheme offers a flat-rate payment of £50,000 to individuals dismissed or discharged due to their sexuality or gender identity and additional awards between £1000 and £20000 pounds for other impacts, assessed by an independent panel.
The MOD encourages affected individuals to contact LGBT-FRScheme@ for support.
Instructions issued by the Defence Police Chiefs Forum in 2010 mandated the removal of historical investigation and conviction records, aligning with legal reforms that eliminated these offences from criminal background checks.
Eligibility for the Dismissed or Discharged Payment includes those ordered to retire or resign, medically discharged or administratively removed due to their sexuality or gender identity. Individuals who exited voluntarily or due to contract expiry may still be eligible for the LGBT Impact Payment.
The MOD states it is fully committed to recruiting and retaining in an inclusive way
