Scotland's Chief Constable to step down during misconduct probe

A senior colleague lodged a complaint against Phil Gormley

Published 8th Sep 2017
Last updated 8th Sep 2017

Police Scotland's chief constable has been granted "special leave'' while a complaint against him is investigated.

Phil Gormley said the grievance was raised by a member of the Force Executive.

In a statement he said: "I have been notified by the SPA of a complaint made against me. This complaint originates from a member of the Force Executive.

"In the interests of the office of Chief Constable and the broader interests of Police Scotland, I have sought and been granted special leave to enable this matter to be properly assessed.

"I deny and reject the allegations and will co-operate with the SPA's assessment and procedures. It is my intention to resume my full duties when this matter has been resolved.'

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA), the oversight body for the force, confirmed it had agreed to Mr Gormley's request for a temporary leave of absence.

The SPA said this will be kept under review on a four-weekly basis.

Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone will take over leadership of Police Scotland until further notice, the authority said