Records of allegations of bullying and discrimination within the Manx police force were not kept until April this year, it has emerged.

Details of the failure to register such claims by, and against, officers in the Constabulary were revealed in a response to a Freedom of Information request.

The request asking for the number of claims of bullying, discrimination, harassment and victimisation for each year from 2012 was initially refused by the Constabulary.

But an appeal to the information commissioner was upheld in part. This meant that the Chief Constable had to disclose the information requested - but only from April this year because before that date the police did not keep a record of such allegations.

In his refusal notice, Chief Constable Gary Roberts stated: ’Until April 2017 it was not the policy of the Constabulary to maintain a register of such matters.

’Work to modernise fairness at work procedures led to the decision to manage and monitor such matters in line with misconduct and unsatisfactory performance processes. As a result, full reviews will now be held.

’Matters that have been dealt with prior to April 1 2017 were dealt with locally in line with the policies at the time.’

The constabulary has now confirmed that between April 1 and April 23 this year, when the FoI request was made, there was one allegation of discrimination made by a police constable against a sergeant.

Following a review, this complaint under the fairness at work policy was not upheld.

Earlier this year, allegations of systematic bullying and discrimination were made by former police officer who took a claim to the employment tribunal.

But the tribunal ruled her claim for alleged sex discrimination was made out of time and confirmed its role was not to be used as some kind of public inquiry into bullying allegations.

The officer resigned from the Manx police force in April 2015.

Mr Roberts told the Examiner that the former officer who made the allegations had left the organisation some time ago and did not raise the issues while she was in the service.

He added: ’Had the matter progressed to a hearing, the constabulary would have vigorously contested the allegations and produced evidence to refute them.’

The information commissioner said the Chief Constable was justified in refusing to comply with the FoI request for information before April 1 as the force did not hold that information.

But he upheld the complaint as no informations had been provided for the period April 1 to 23.