Victoria von Wachter is successful in Dunne v Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police

Victoria von Wachter recently successfully argued to strike out a claim of disability discrimination against a constable who claimed to have been disadvantaged by disciplinary action arising out of inappropriate sexual relationship with a vulnerable member victim of crime, inappropriate conduct with a junior officer plus failures to carry out his duties diligently. Between lodging his claim and the strike out hearing the officer was dismissed for gross misconduct for again engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a vulnerable victim of crime.

The officer sought to claim before the Employment Tribunal that disciplinary actions predating his dismissal were acts of disability discrimination by reason of his depression and anxiety. In reality he argued that the disciplinary decisions had been wrongly decided as these matters showed no nexus with his disability.  They also stretched back over many years and so they were out of time and were struck out.

Victoria was instructed by the Force solicitor to represent the Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police.