Latest news with #Warhurst
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Scotsman
Former Police Inspector accused of perjury walks free from court
A former Police Scotland firearms officer accused of perjury by allegedly lying to a high-profile employment tribunal has walked free from court. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Inspector Keith Warhurst, 50, was claimed to have posted an indecent video of topless women to a work WhatsApp group of police sergeants in October 2017. He was then said to have committed perjury while giving evidence during the employment tribunal involving ex-firearms officer Rhona Malone in August 2021. Ms Malone had raised concerns over sexism within Police Scotland after receiving an email stating female officers should not be deployed together when there was sufficient male staff on duty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Former Police Scotland Inspector Keith Warhurst outside the Edinburgh Sheriff Court | Alexander Lawrie One female officer was told women should not be firearms officers because they menstruate and this would affect their temperament. The tribunal accepted evidence that the culture in parts of the armed division of the force was 'horrific' and an 'absolute boys club'. Ms Malone was offered a small payout after she raised her concerns on the condition she signed a non disclosure agreement but she refused and after winning her case was awarded the sum of £947,909.07. But following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court the perjury charge against Warhurst was found by a jury to have not been proven by the Crown on Wednesday, June 4. The jury delivered a not guilty verdict to the charge of Warhurst sending the indecent video to the WhatsApp group. But the jury did find him guilty of a charge of making a derogatory sexist comment regarding the partner of his colleague and friend PC John Morgan. He was granted an absolute discharge on that offence by Sheriff Derek O'Carroll. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The court was told PC Morgan had informed colleagues he had found out his partner was six months pregnant during a shift changeover within an office at Police Scotland HQ at Fettes in Edinburgh in March 2017. The jury was told Warhurst, who has since retired from the force, had replied to the news by stating 'well she must be a right f***ing fat bitch if she didn't realise she was pregnant'. Warhurst, of Livingston, West Lothian, was alleged to have told the employment tribunal he had not made the derogatory comment but the jury also cleared of him of that allegation with their not proven verdict. Following the jury's verdict Warhurst and his wife quickly left the court building without making comment.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ex-officer cleared of perjury in police tribunal
A former police inspector has been cleared of perjury over evidence he gave at an employment tribunal which found there was an "absolute boys' club" in a Police Scotland firearms unit. Keith Warhurst was found guilty of behaving in an abusive manner by making a derogatory comment about a colleague's partner, who was pregnant, in 2017 and not guilty of sharing indecent images of topless women to a WhatsApp group. The perjury charge was not proven and Mr Warhurst was given an absolute discharge, meaning no punishment will be given. Sheriff Derek O'Carroll said the charge Mr Warhurst has been found guilty of "would not have found its way into this court" had it not been for the perjury charge. Sheriff O'Carroll also said it was "important to bear in mind the remorse which has been expressed by the accused". Mr Warhurst, who has since left the force, gave evidence at an employment tribunal in 2021 which found that a female officer was victimised after raising concerns about a sexist email. In the email, Mr Warhurst said two female firearms officers should not be deployed together when there were sufficient males on duty. The case brought by Rhona Malone found evidence of a "boys' club" culture in Police Scotland's firearms unit and a settlement was reached in which Ms Malone was paid nearly £1m by the force. Mr Warhurst gave evidence at this tribunal, and the charge against him in the perjury trial stated that he had denied having made a derogatory remark about a colleague's partner or having sent indecent images when he knew he had. During the trial, Mr Warhurst admitted to making a remark but claimed that he did not lie to the tribunal at the time because he did not remember making the comment. He also later apologised to the colleague. Fellow former firearms officer Richard Creanor told Edinburgh Sheriff Court that he witnessed Mr Warhurst make the remark in 2017. Mr Creanor said that fellow officer John Morgan had told several colleagues in a shared office that his partner had discovered she was pregnant. He told them he took the previous day off work to go to a hospital appointment with her because she initially believed she had a cyst. Mr Creanor claimed that Keith Warhurst then swore and said the woman must be fat "if she didn't realise she was pregnant". The jury found Mr Warhurst guilty of this charge, but cleared him of the related and more serious perjury charge. After the verdict and when granting the absolute discharge, Sheriff O'Carroll remarked that Mr Warhurst had since apologised to Mr Morgan for his comments and expressed remorse, which is "another relevant matter which the court is required to take into account". During the trial, Mr Warhurst said he had no recollection of sending pictures of topless women to a WhatsApp group. Mr Warhurst's perjury charge was found to be not proven by the jury, meaning he has been cleared.' Mr Warhurst's perjury charge was found to be not proven by the jury, meaning he has been cleared. An absolute discharge means that no punishment will be given to Mr Warhurst. Police pay out almost £1m over sexism case Sexist 'boys' club' culture in armed police unit Cover-up claim over police review of sexism case
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ex-officer on trial for perjury in police tribunal
A former Police Scotland firearms officer has gone on trial charged with perjury in connection with evidence he gave at an employment tribunal. Keith Warhurst is also accused of sending indecent images or videos of topless women to a WhatsApp group of male police sergeants, and making a derogatory comment about a colleague's pregnant partner. Mr Warhurst gave evidence at a tribunal in 2021 and is accused of denying he shared the images or made the remark, when he in fact knew that he had done so. He denies the charges against him at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Giving evidence, a former firearms officer Richard Creanor alleged that in April 2017 he witnessed Mr Warhurst make the derogatory remark about their colleague's pregnant partner. Mr Creanor said that fellow officer John Morgan had told several colleagues in an office that his partner had discovered she was pregnant. He told them he took the previous day off work to go to a hospital appointment with her because she initially believed she had a cyst. Mr Creanor claimed that Keith Warhurst then swore and said the woman must be fat "if she didn't realise she was pregnant". When asked by the procurator fiscal depute how he responded, Mr Creanor said he was "stunned". "However, I need to also explain there is also a dark humour that exists within the police - things that would not be acceptable in any other walk of life," he added. "But I felt that went past inappropriate banter. It was just a horrible thing to say." Mr Creanor claimed that John Morgan responded to Mr Warhurst's remark and appeared "furious", but under cross-examination from the defence could not remember what Mr Morgan had said. Both Mr Creanor and Mr Warhurst gave evidence at an employment tribunal in 2021. Mr Creanor told the court he told the truth at the tribunal and was telling the truth now. He also said he was "furious" for a "variety of reasons" in the aftermath of the tribunal. One reason, he said, was that "Keith had insinuated or stated that I had lied, by giving his own evidence saying these things were not true". Mr Warhurst has since left the force. Mr Creanor was also asked about a WhatsApp group that several sergeants in the unit were members of. He told the court that in the autumn of 2017, Mr Warhurst sent images of topless women to the group chat. Mr Creanor claimed that he was not offended by the images and did not take the issue any further. The court also heard from a former officer who had served with both men at the time and said the culture at the unit was male-dominated. Simon White, a team sergeant on the firearms unit who has since retired, told the court he had also received the images in the WhatsApp group. He described them as "sexualised images" and said that Keith Warhurst had sent them. Mr White claimed that he responded to the images with "something like Keith, do you realise you're an inspector now?" Mr Warhurst had recently been temporarily promoted at the time the images were allegedly sent. Mr White told the court that although he wasn't offended by the images, he found it "surprising" given the group chat was work-related and that Mr Warhurst had recently been promoted. When questioned on the culture at the firearms unit at the time, Mr White said there were "very few" women and that it was "male-dominated". Under questioning from the defence, Mr White confirmed that "images of a jokey type" could "possibly" have been sent on a regular basis. The trial continues.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC News presenter issues withering response to sexist criticism from viewer
BBC News presenter Nina Warhurst has shared a withering response to criticism from a viewer on social media. Warhurst, 44, currently works as the lead presenter of BBC News at One, having previously served as business and consumer presenter on BBC Breakfast. On Instagram, the TV host shared a comment directed at her on social media, which made reference to her age, her attire, and her accent. "Just wondering if @NinaWarhurst has an opinion on what constitutes TOO short a skirt for a 44-year-old,' the original post read. 'Anyway, it's pleasing there's a very positive move towards 'received' pronunciation.' Received Pronunciation, also known as RP or the Queen's or King's English, is the Southern British accent historically regarded as the 'standard'. In the past, presenters on the BBC all spoke with RP accents, although evolving social sensibilities have rendered this approach outdated and largely condemned in recent years. In an Instagram story, Warhurst shared the comment from the X/Twitter user, alongside her own response. 'When you briefly check back in with Twitter/X… because surely it can't be the stream of uninvited feedback from men that you remember, and….. Oh hi there,' she wrote. '(Translation: if you're gonna look like an old trout, it's more acceptable if you don't sound as Mancunian. Noted).' Warhurst has appeared on News at One since April, departing her previous role at BBC Breakfast. Announcing the change on social media at the time, the presenter shared a photo of herself at the start of her stint on Breakfast, writing: 'I'll be hanging up the high-viz and hairnet for a wee while as I join the BBC's News at One. 'The second photo was almost exactly seven (! ) years ago. I was heavily pregnant, very nervous, and unbelievably excited to be offered a few shifts on the national broadcast treasure that is @bbcbreakfast ... @stephlunch took time to show me the ropes and help me feel at home.' BBC News at One airs at 1pm on BBC One, and has been a fixture of the channel since 1986.
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'We have enough quality to beat Aston Villa'
Manchester City are looking to get their hands on more silverware on Monday afternoon (15:00 BST) as they compete in their second consecutive FA Youth Cup final with the aim of winning the trophy back-to-back for the first time in the club's academy striker Matty Warhurst spoke about what it means to reach this stage again: "It's recognised as one of the most prestigious competitions in youth football so to win that and be classed as the best team your age in the country is obviously an unbelievable achievement and feeling if we were to win it. Everyone is preparing right and looking forward to it."As a team we are recognised as a special team. Obviously the statistics speak for themselves but when we play football, we play together and we play some really good football on the eye. I feel like we have enough quality to beat Aston Villa on Monday."The final is being played at Villa Park, something that Warhurst says the squad are looking forward to: "As a squad, everyone is excited to play there, it's a really big stadium and it's got a lot of history and that will only make it special. We're expecting a big crowd there with a lot of atmosphere so that's always good."Listen to Warhurst speak to BBC Radio ManchesterFellow academy defender Kaden Braithwaite also gave his thoughts ahead of the final: "Very excited. The whole season we have been working towards this so it will be good to get out there and play against Villa."Braithwaite was asked about the prospect of lifting the FA Youth Cup as captain and said: "Madness. At the start of the season if you said we would be in these tournaments and I'd be leading them, I wouldn't have believed it. I wouldn't be where I am now without my team-mates, they have a big part to play in it."We just need to stay level-headed, understand what we have to do and as long as we stick together, I think we can go all the way."Listen to Braithwaite in full
