‘Home minister offered hush money over complaint’

HOME Department minister Geoff Mahy offered a retired bank manager a four-figure sum in hush money following a complaint against Pubwatch, it has been claimed.

Deputy Mahy confirmed that an approach for compensation relating to the deal had been discussed, but never agreed.

The revelation came from 63-year-old Brendan Murphy after he was asked by the Guernsey Press to respond to the news that the alcohol-related crime reduction scheme, which bans offenders from participating licensed premises, had been relaunched.

In 2008, a complaint by Mr Murphy on behalf of a third party sparked an investigation that concluded that the way licensees and police had been operating the scheme had breached five data protection principles. (from GEP)