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A highly commended Met firearms officer is suing for sex discrimination after being refused a five-year career break to travel to New Zealand with his family while his police officer wife was granted permission.
Neil Annals, who had worked for the Diplomatic Protection Group (SO6) for six years, and his wife Pc Grainne O’Reilly, wanted to go to New Zealand with their son, now aged four, to spend time with Ms O’Reilly’s elderly parents and experience a new way of life. He resigned after his application was refused but his wife’s was granted.
Mr Annals watched proceedings at Central London Employment Tribunal via videolink from New Zealand, where he now works for South Pacific Motorcycle Tours.
He said he had been working long hours and night shifts, preventing him from seeing his son as much as he would have liked.
“It is not an environment which is supportive of officers combining work and childcare responsibilities,” he said. “I think that there is an assumption that the predominantly male officer workforce in SO6 provide for their children through work and that their female partners will look after the children.
“I joined the police due to a strong sense of right and wrong and a desire to see everybody treated fairly within the eyes of the law. During my service I have been awarded several commendations, including a Commissioner’s High Commendation for my role in the immediate response to the London bombings.” He said his treatment had “shattered” his faith in the force and left him “demoralised”.
Since 2008 the Met has allowed staff to apply for breaks of between three months and five years. In July last year, the couple discussed living temporarily in New Zealand, where her sister had emigrated with their parents.
Ms O’Reilly applied for a career break, which she was granted. She said: “My application was supported by my managers and processed without difficulty. In contrast, my husband had a very difficult experience. Although our applications were in essence identical, my husband appeared to be involved in an entirely different and much more complex process.”
The Met denies it was sexist and argued Mr Annals had wanted to find alternative employment during the break, which is against its conditions.
The hearing continues.