'Gardening leave' bill is £200,000

[TheGuru]

A policeman is returning to work after being suspended on full pay for more than six years.

PC Gerry Dawson's "gardening leave" has reportedly cost the taxpayer more than £200,000.

He was told to stay at home in September 2001 while he was investigated for alleged corruption, reports The Sun.

It was two years and three months before he was charged and a year and four months later he was cleared by a court.

Another seven months on he was tried again on fresh charges but
PC Dawson, of Cosham, Hants, was again cleared.

But he stayed suspended while bosses launched a misconduct investigation.

After two years they decided he had no case to answer and ordered the £32,000-a-year officer back on the beat.

TaxPayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Elliott said: "This was ridiculous, costly and unfair.

"Taxpayers shouldn't have to pay someone for not working."
A fellow Hampshire PC joked: "The lads reckon Gerry's garden should be good enough to enter in the Chelsea Flower Show."

Hampshire Police confirmed there had been a "complex investigation" and charges involving alleged importation of stolen Japanese vehicles and theft of a motor vehicle and a trailer.

A spokesman added: "The officer has been reinstated."
It is thought PC Dawson's suspension was the longest ever for a UK officer. Last year nearly 300 officers were suspended on full pay at a cost of £8million.

[smartsez]

wow! I'd quite like to be a copper and wrongly accused for 6 years! I cant believe they've paid him full pay for that long! You'd think they'd speed up the system or atleast give him a desk job so he's out of work less time or earning some of his money!!!

[Nutty_ZA]

He's obviously in the wrong job...

He should be a government minister... he's supremely qualified...
they're always getting charged with corruption and they also sit around doing nothing for loads of pay

[smartsez]

Originally Posted by Nutty_ZA

He's obviously in the wrong job...

He should be a government minister... he's supremely qualified...
they're always getting charged with corruption and they also sit around doing nothing for loads of pay

lol! Put your claws away Nutty! lol!

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Nutty_ZA

He's obviously in the wrong job...

He should be a government minister... he's supremely qualified...
they're always getting charged with corruption and they also sit around doing nothing for loads of pay

Maybe he could help fix the elecrticty supplies in SA

[sabredragon]

what do you do for that long ? I know he will have been seeing his legal people & the such like but he must have had plenty of time on his hands .
In that situation can you get a job with aa agency or something working a day here or there?.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by sabredragon

what do you do for that long ? I know he will have been seeing his legal people & the such like but he must have had plenty of time on his hands .
In that situation can you get a job with aa agency or something working a day here or there?.

Daytime TV

[sabredragon]

maybe he was watching the re-runs of Heartbeat .
Then keeping up with modern policing with the Bill in the evening .