Top cop whistle-blower John Mauger is desperate to get his old job back

A top cop who has been on an enforced holiday since September has begged the Justice Secretary to help him get back to work.

Assistant Chief Constable John Mauger is picking up nearly £10,000 a month for doing nothing after being banned from every police station in Scotland for speaking out against the controversial move to allow hundreds of officers to carry firearms on routine duties. ACC Mauger has not been suspended, but is “on leave”.

The whistle-blower has now written to Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and Holyrood’s Justice Committee to beg them to start a probe into why he’s been blocked from working if he has no disciplinary action against him.

The officer only returned to work last year after a lengthy gardening leave, which began in June 2010, and an internal investigation which cleared him of any wrongdoing in relation to misconduct allegations concerning another matter which was levied against him.

Former senior police officer and Labour’s Justice spokesman Graeme Pearson said: “It is a situation which must be without precedent, but seems to be getting worse.

“Somebody has to get a grip of this. The new Justice Secretary doesn’t have to interfere with any decision-making process, but he can make sure something is done.”

Mauger was Assistant Chief Constable of now-defunct Central Scotland Police when he was put on gardening leave in 2010 amid allegations of insubordination and inefficiency.

He was off work for three years while that investigation was carried out. The senior cop eventually returned to work in the new single force in July after being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Taxpayers have paid well in excess of £1 million for his leave and legal fees.

A newly-released SPA report shows the allegations were thrown out because they felt there was not enough evidence to back up the complaint.

ACC Mauger last week wrote to Mr Matheson and MSPs on the Justice Committee to highlight this SPA report and make a string of claims about the police misconduct investigation.

“Parliament must again be asking why I am not at work,” he wrote.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Disciplinary issues involving senior officers are a matter for the Scottish Police Authority. It would be inappropriate to comment.”