Royal police bodyguard sues the Met over claims he is being forced to work too many hours

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Probe began after officer said his shifts were longer than EU rules allowed
Launches unprecedented case against Met about hours and overtime pay
Sources said the officer likely to win a substantial out-of-court settlement
It would prevent work of Royal protection squad being discussed in court
Met has admitted it had not been good enough at checking officers’ hours

By Martin Beckford, Home Affairs Editor For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 18:54 EST, 24 January 2015 | Updated: 04:34 EST, 25 January 2015

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A Royal bodyguard is suing Scotland Yard, claiming he is being forced to work too many hours.

The officer triggered a probe into the Metropolitan Police by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after complaining his shifts were longer than EU rules allow.

Now he has launched an unprecedented case against the Met about his hours and overtime pay.

A Royal bodyguard is suing Scotland Yard, claiming he is being forced to work too many hours

Sources said that the officer, still working for the Met, is likely to win a substantial out-of-court settlement in order to prevent the sensitive work of the Royal protection squad, SO14, being discussed in open court.

Last night Britain’s biggest force admitted it had not been good enough at checking officers’ hours.

A Met spokesman told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The Metropolitan Police Service acknowledges that the monitoring of officers’ hours was not as robust as it could have been.

'Processes have been improved and the Health and Safety Executive will review our practices in due course.’

The Met’s Protection Command provides security for the Royals, Ministers and visiting dignitaries. SO14 guards the Queen and Royals including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at home and abroad.

Because the elite officers guarding them are required to travel so much, they cannot work normal shifts and receive a hefty overtime allowance.

In 2010, The Mail on Sunday revealed further perks of working with the Royals, with one male officer accompanying Princes William and Harry (pictured) to the World Cup in South Africa

Official figures show a constable in SO14 earns on average £43,345 a year and £11,202 in overtime allowances. The highest-paid constable guarding Royalty received £82,959 a year.

In 2010, The Mail on Sunday revealed further perks of working with the Royals, with one male officer accompanying Princes William and Harry to the World Cup in South Africa claiming £300 for ‘warm-weather clothing’ including three items of women’s clothing.

Under the Met’s regulations, officers are meant to work an average of 48 hours a week over six months. But they can opt out of the restriction, and the rules acknowledge that the duties of a Close Protection Officer may exempt them from any time limit.

FAMILIES OF TROOPS 'IN DANGER OF BEING ATTACKED IN THEIR HOMES'

Thousands of British troops and their families are in danger of being attacked in their homes by terrorists following huge cutbacks to the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP), it was claimed last night.

The MDP used to keep a watchful eye on 60 married quarters, but after 1,800 posts were axed by the Ministry of Defence in 2012, security patrols ceased at 44 of those.

Eamon Keating, chairman of the Defence Police Federation, the staff association for the MDP, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I am incredibly concerned about how easy it would be for someone to attack a soldier’s home.

‘Married quarters have been put last in the list of security priorities, even though personnel and their families are the foundation of our Armed Forces.’

Police documents seen by this newspaper state: ‘On the 8th April 2014 the HSE visited the MPS to investigate a complaint made by an SO14 officer pertaining to an allegation that SO14 had failed to comply with the Working Time Regulation.’

Ken Wharfe, the late Princess Diana’s protection officer, said: ‘This isn’t an eight-hour tour of duty. You cannot compromise security.’

As the case will be settled out of court it will not set a legal precedent, but may open the door for others to launch similar claims.