Army commander cleared of expenses fraud

Jan 29 2008 by Martin Shipton, Western Mail

THE most senior Army officer in Wales has returned to work after being cleared of wrongdoing in a row over the cost of an Indian restaurant meal.

Brigadier Rick Libbey, Commanding Officer of the Brecon-based 160 (Wales) Brigade, was suspended from duty last month because of an allegation he had made a fraudulent expenses claim.

His suspension arose out of a dinner he attended with seven Army colleagues at an Indian restaurant in Grantham, Lincolnshire, last July. Part of the cost of the meal, which followed a training session involving members of the Welsh Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, was paid by Brigadier Libbey, who subsequently made an expenses claim.

When the Western Mail was tipped off about the suspension, we contacted Brigadier Libbey, who chairs the Army Rugby Union and is a vice-president of Cardiff Business Club. He told us at the time, “It was perfectly reasonable for me to entertain these colleagues. I kept to the Army rule which states no more than 20% of a meal claim should be alcohol.

“At the beginning of the meal, I made it clear to everyone that any alcohol above the 20% limit would have to be paid for by us, and that I would have a whip round for the excess amount.

“That is exactly what happened. We ordered a variety of dishes and had them in front of us in the middle of the table, together with the usual poppadums and naan breads. Most of us had three or four beers. The total bill for eight of us came to about £215. I did a rough and ready calculation and worked out that the amount I would be able to claim, bearing in mind the 20% rule, was £168. That’s what I paid with my Visa card, and the rest was paid in cash from the whip round.

“I was given a receipt by the restaurant for £168, which worked out at £21 a head, which is not a lot of money these days for a meal in a restaurant. The bill referred to eight dinners, and I claimed the money back via the usual expenses procedure.

“I thought no more about it until around October, when an allegation was made that I had acted improperly. I totally refute that – I have not made a penny out of this, and nor have I broken the Army rules on entertainment.

“I have held my present post for a year. Is it likely I would jeopardise my 27-year Army career over something like this?”

As part of the terms of his suspension, he was barred from any Army events, and could not attend the ceremony in the Millennium Stadium welcoming troops home from Iraq.

Last night, after being reinstated, Brig Libbey said, “Obviously I am delighted to be back at work. It is vital that any allegation of this nature, especially in the public sector, is rigorously investigated to ensure fairness and impartiality. Now that I have been re-instated, I am determined to repair any damage and to reinforce the fairness of the Army’s disciplinary and administrative processes during my two years left in command.”

An Army spokesman said, “Where an allegation is made, it is and must be investigated. Where appropriate, individuals are suspended from their jobs while the investigation is conducted. This can be done on a ‘without prejudice’ basis.”