Police used 'Orwellian' powers to 'gag' a firefighter who was arrested after criticising his bosses online, it has been claimed.
Robert Moss was allegedly told by Staffordshire Police that his right to 'freedom of expression' must be 'limited to maintain public safety and order' after he was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications on July 8.
Prior to his dismissal in 2021, the former firefighter, 56, had served Staffordshire fire and rescue service for 28 years and even worked as the county's Fire Brigade Union's secretary.
An employment tribunal in 2023 later found that he had been wrongly dismissed from his position, with a judgement ruling it had been an 'unfair' decision.
Following this, in a private Facebook group, the father-of-one had provided advice to firefighters, alongside making several critical comments regarding the fire service's management.
