Serco Employee Charged With Giving Out Asylum Accommodation Adresses.

[UncannyFanny]

A Serco employee has been charged over the recent unrest in Thetford, Norfolk where groups gathered to protest outside houses believed to be housing undocumented migrants.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly8mpp9r8no

So he has been charged with Misconduct in a Public Office. But held in custody for misconduct? Is this not a step too far? In what other profession would you expect to be held in custody for misconduct, rather than suspended pending an internal investigation? Even in a public office this seems rather unusual?

His actions facilitated violence. Someone could have been killed.

groups gathered to protest outside houses believed to be housing undocumented migrants

"Gathered to protest" is downplaying it somewhat.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74g1gxvwlvo

Perhaps not surprising when the outcome of his misconduct, which he should surely have anticipated unless he’s only got half a brain, is the terrorising of the people in those properties?

Misconduct in my job would mean leaking an exam paper to students. That hardly constitutes causing immense fear and suffering. He deserves everything he gets.

Misconduct in a public office covers a huge range, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment. So no, being charged with it doesn't mean it would usually amount to a suspension and an internal investigation.

As the pp said, their actions could have resulted in people being killed. They've also cost the public purse a very significant amount of money.

This has potentially put lives at risk. You also have to wonder about this person's motivation. Glad they've come down hard.

Of course this is worth being held in custody!

You know damn well why this is so bad. They’re not giving away the addresses for a laugh, are they? Holding in custody means that they can’t tell anyone else the address.

A fire was set at a hotel housing asylum seekers in London within the last two weeks.

He should be jailed for this! The only reason to give out addresses like that is for protestors and vigilantes to target them. Absolutely disgusting behaviour. Dealt with internally, my arse! If you can't see why that would be inappropriate, you're just as bad.

No doubt the people who think this should be dealt with internally are the ones who thought Jason Arday was fair game for the press.

How on earth can anyone defend his actions? Asylum seekers were threatened and targeted because of his behaviour.

Serco should also be investigated. How did he get the info and disseminate it. Are their internal security measures robust enough

I'd like to know the reasoning of those who voted YANBU.

It was a stupid and dangerous thing to do.

I mean we have people in this country who are so thick they don't know the difference between a paedophile and a paediatrician.

He gave information so far right agitators could gather and intimidate innocent people - it lead to violence and damage - damn right he should be arrested.
I work with separated asylum seeking children - housed in homes together and individually- if I gave that info to someone I knew wanted those addresses to commit crimes of violence I’d deserve to be locked up as well!

I don’t think it’s a step too far at all, it clearly goes way beyond misconduct and was done to facilitate illegal intimidation or realistically hate crimes.

Serves him right imo. Someone could have got killed because of him.

At the very least he should lose his job and his pension. I guess the prospect of him being sent to prison - as he richly deserves - is remote because prisons are so overcrowded.

Would you like your address details being shared for just a slap on the wrist @UncannyFanny ?

Just to point out - to work at one of the hotels you have to sign the official secrets act and go through vetting... He knew what he was doing

I didn't know SERCo were still going.

I was a 'civil' servant 25 years ago and our facilities & estates operations were outsourced to SERCo. They bled us dry. They had a lot of complaints from us.

Serco are still around, in the prison service, private prisons, they get contracts from the private sector also. Serco have their hands in a lot of UK business

Serco has a very lucrative 10 year contract that runs until 2029.

No wonder it’s taking this so seriously.

Probably because he is contracted to the government he his held in custody,

Completely Irrelevant.

80% say YABU.

Why?

He isn't being held in custody for 'misconduct' in relation to his employment contract - he's being held for misconduct in public office which is a criminal offence.