Trevor Gray case: Court backs second sacking decision

Trevor Gray won a court case in 2016 but has now seen his dismissal upheld

A former police detective cleared of rape has lost the latest stage of a legal battle to be reinstated.

Trevor Gray was convicted 2012 and dismissed by the force but then cleared of all charges in 2014 after new evidence emerged.

A police tribunal reinstated him in 2014, but he was then sacked again over a new misconduct case.

In 2016 a judge said Mr Gray should get his job back, but now the Court of Appeal has upheld the second dismissal.

Trevor Gray's wife Alison helped quash the rape charge but said it was a "living nightmare"

Mr Gray, who had served for 25 years, was jailed for eight years in May 2012 for sexual assault and rape.

But a new witness led to the conviction being quashed in 2013, and his acquittal at a retrial in March 2014.

A Police Appeals Tribunal (PAT) ruled he should get his job back but he was again sacked just months later over the new allegations.

A second appeal by Mr Gray to the PAT was turned down in 2015, but in 2016 Mr Justice Coulson said there should have been no further misconduct proceedings after his reinstatement.

But at the High Court, Nottinghamshire Police challenged this, saying Mr Justice Coulson's decision undermined police processes for dealing with officers punished for convictions that are later overturned.

Now the court has ruled in favour of the force and reinstated the PAT's May 2015 decision, meaning Mr Gray's dismissal stands.

Nottinghamshire Police said they welcomed the decision, while Mr Gray said he was "obviously disappointed" but "considering his options".