FORMER inspector Edward Crudace today hails victory over Northumbria Police after winning a pensions’ row that could affect hundreds of fellow injured retired officers.
His important test case has left chief constables and police authorities throughout the country facing a multi-million-pound bill as a court has ruled that pensions for injured retired police officers have been unlawfully cut.
Mr Crudace, 67, of North Seaton Village, Ashington, Northumberland, twice seriously injured his neck and was forced to retire as a police officer in 1991.
His injuries meant he could not work and he was awarded a substantial police injury pension.
However, when he reached the age of 65 his pension was slashed by Northumbria Police, relying on Home Office guidance, leaving Mr Crudace more than £300 short every month.
In January the High Court in Leeds heard David Lock QC, on behalf of Mr Crudace, condemn the Home Office guidance as unlawful because it led to police injury pensions routinely being reduced to the lowest level when former officers reach the age of 65.
Judge Behrens has now released a judgement upholding these criticisms and quashing the decision of the Northumbria Police to reduce Mr Crudace’s pension. The judge decided the Home Office guidance was unlawful because it was inconsistent with the statutory scheme under which the pensions were paid.
In another part of the judgement which will cause concern to other police authorities, Judge Behrens confirmed that former police officers who have had their pensions reduced in this way are entitled to apply to the police authority for the decisions to be reversed and for their pensions to be restored.
Father-of-one Mr Crudace said: “I always knew that my pension had been wrongly reduced but Northumbria Police Authority refused to accept this, and have wasted thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money attempting to defend an unlawful decision.
“It has been an uphill battle for me and I’m glad of the victory.
“I know there are many former police officers in the same position as me who have been injured serving their communities. They have seen their pensions cut to the lowest level when they reach 65 in reliance on this unlawful guidance.
“ I hope they will be able to use this landmark decision to get their pensions restored to the level they are entitled to.”
The changes to the pensions were introduced by Northumbria Police on the back of Home Office guidelines.
