Re Watson’s Application for Judicial Review [2022]

As part of the application process for joining the PSNI, the applicant was required to complete a security check. This included giving the details of the previous five years of employment. This was accompanied by a declaration which he had signed. The issue arising is after he had become a police officer it was discovered that the applicant failed to disclose two periods of employment. In both of those employments there were disciplinary matters.

The PSNI brought a misconduct charge against the applicant under the Police (Conduct) Regulations (NI) 2016. The applicant challenged this citing that the panel did not have jurisdiction for matters which arose before his attestation as an officer.