Car smash OAP slams ex-PC's ‘obscene’ payout (From Free Press Series)
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OAP whose car window was smashed up in Usk, slams ex-PC's ‘obscene’ payout
7:12am Friday 7th February 2014 in News
SPEAKING OUT: Robert Whatley, whose window ex-Gwent PC Mike Baillon smashed in Usk, claims ‘the law has failed’
A PENSIONER whose car was smashed up by a Gwent police officer after a chase said that “the law has failed”, as the officer is set to receive a payout of over £400,000.
The video of former traffic cop Mike Baillon, 42, hitting the car window of 73-year-old Robert Whatley 15 times in Usk went viral on the internet, being viewed more than 30 million times on YouTube.
This led to Mr Baillon quitting the force after he became the butt of daily jokes.
But following a tribunal, he is to be awarded £429,434.64 for loss of pension, and will receive a further sum for loss of earnings since leaving the force.
Mr Whatley said: “I consider myself the victim of his actions as he was in a position of authority. It’s an obscene figure to be awarded and on this occasion the law has let the public down.”
The incident happened in 2009, where Mr Whatley was seen driving without a seat belt, which resulted in a pursuit after Mr Whatley drove off.
He was found guilty of not wearing a seat belt and failing to stop, but won a payout from the police over the damage caused to his vehicle.
Mr Whatley claims that he didn’t realise the police wanted him to pull over.
He said: “I suffered an acute stroke previously and was in recovery so I was trying to get home to take my medication.
“It was bang out of order what happened that day.”
Following the events, Mr Baillon was taken out of his traffic police role, as Gwent Police chiefs claimed he had become “obsessed” with “the Whatley incident”.
He resigned in August 2012 after he became the victim of unpleasant comments from other police officers and on one occasion his locker was defaced.
He won a constructive dismissal claim at a Cardiff employment tribunal and at a remedy hearing on Wednesday, his solicitor Nick Smith criticised Gwent police force.
He said: “Mr Baillon was removed from a job he loved and it was a gross abuse of power by the police.”
Following the decision, a Gwent Police spokesman said: “We will now reflect on the judgment.”
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Baillon said he felt let down by Gwent Police.
He said: “I felt to draw a line under the incident, I needed to make the organisation aware of how they dealt with the incident and the effect that had on me and my family.
Referring to Gwent Police, he added: “They’ve cost me my job and they’ve cost the taxpayer an awful lot of money. I was highly trained and highly committed, but it counted for nothing in the end.”
After leaving the force, Mr Baillon set up a company called Celtic Woodcraft.
Video of the incident in Usk in 2009:
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