P&O Ferries Escape Criminal Charges After Mass Redundancies Blow-Up
P&O Ferries will not face criminal charges over the shocking mass sackings of 786 workers back in March 2022, the Insolvency Service confirmed. Despite intense public outrage, prosecutors say there’s no case to answer.
Insolvency Service Drops Criminal Case
A full criminal probe launched after P&O Ferries’ controversial move found the firm did not break the law when it axed hundreds of staff without prior warning. The investigation, updated last month and revised in October 2024, concluded no criminal proceedings will be pursued.
An Insolvency Service spokesperson said: “After a full and robust criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the employees who were made redundant by P&O Ferries, we have concluded that we will not commence criminal proceedings.”
What Triggered the Investigation?
The probe began following a request from the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. Officials looked into whether P&O Ferries breached the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 by failing to give proper redundancy notice.
Despite public backlash, an independent senior prosecution lawyer advised there was no realistic chance of a conviction.
Civil Case Still Open
The Insolvency Service is keeping the civil investigation open, though no updates have been given. The decision to drop criminal charges won’t dampen anger from workers, unions, and supporters who called the sackings a brutal betrayal.
P&O Ferries’ headline-grabbing redundancy stunt remains a hot button issue, but for now, the firm avoids criminal court – facing only possible civil penalties down the line.
