A would-be police officer whose application was rejected because he is white and heterosexual is finally being allowed to become a copper after a force accepted it had discriminated against him.

Matthew Furlong, 25, from Frodsham, will join Cheshire Police, following in the footsteps of his detective father Liam, 52.

The graduate, who has a degree in particle physics and cosmology from Lancaster University, had shone in his application and interview.

But he was turned down by Cheshire Police.

His father, a serving Cheshire Police officer, complained and an employment tribunal ruled earlier this year that Furlong jnr had been discriminated against on the grounds of sexual orientation, race and sex.

(Image: Slater and Gordon)

The force - criticised in 2015 for having no black officers - had used 'positive discrimination' to boost diversity in the ranks.

But the tribunal ruled such discrimination should only be applied to candidates who are equally qualified.

Following the landmark case in February, solicitors acting for Mr Furlong have announced that as part of their settlement their client will join Cheshire Police on September 14 as a student officer.

In a statement following the tribunal’s ruling in February, Matthew Furlong said: “My dad has served more than 20 years with Cheshire Police and I had always wanted to follow in his footsteps, ever since school. Not just anywhere but in the place I grew up.

"The people who interviewed me said it was refreshing to meet someone so well-prepared and that I couldn’t have done more. I was on cloud nine.

"When I found out what had happened, I was shocked. I really didn’t know what to make of it because I automatically assumed a body like the police couldn’t possibly have made that kind of mistake.

"It has completely shattered my confidence in the police force recruitment system.

"The irony of the whole thing is that throughout the whole process I was required to demonstrate my honesty and integrity and they have completely undermined that.

"Had I lied on my interview form and said I was bisexual, for instance, there’s a strong possibility I would be working for Cheshire Police now based on a lie.

(Image: Slater and Gordon)

"I absolutely agree that a force should represent the equality and diversity of the community it serves but that must be achieved legitimately and without discriminating against anyone.

"It felt to me like this was putting a sticky plaster over the problem rather than addressing the root cause. It was a step too far and ultimately was a disproportionate response to the underlying issues.

"I am not the only person who has been affected by this. There are many other white heterosexual males who undoubtedly left the whole interview process with the impression that they weren't good enough when in fact many were.

"In addition, I worry for the candidates who have been appointed as they may question whether they were appointed based on merit or whether they simply has a particular protected characteristic.

"I am delighted that the tribunal found in my favour and I hope it will prevent the same thing from happening again, but I don’t know what I want to do now.

"If I applied again and did get in I would worry that the same issues could arise if I went for a promotion. It has certainly made it very difficult for me to continue down that path."

As part of the settlement, Mr Furlong has agreed not to comment further following his being finally accepted by the force.

Jennifer Ainscough, the lawyer at Manchester-based Slater and Gordon solicitors who represented Matthew, said: "We are pleased to confirm that settlement terms have been agreed with Cheshire Constabulary and as of 14 September 2019, Matthew will be starting work as a student police officer with the force.

" Positive action is an incredibly important tool to aid diversity in the workforce but this case is a reminder that it must be applied correctly to ensure that employers still recruit candidates based on merit above all else.

"Matthew was an exceptional candidate who I am sure will be an exceptional police officer and we wish him every success in his future career."

The force has now changed its procedures so 'positive discrimination' only applies when there is a 'tie-breaker situation' between pairs of candidates of equal calibre.

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Deputy Chief Constable Julie Cooke said: "We have reflected on our interpretation of the act and thoroughly reviewed our practices to ensure that we comply with it.

"We accept the findings of the tribunal and have looked very carefully at our entire recruitment practice. Action has been taken to change some of our processes and take account of the hearing’s result.

"It is important for us, and for candidates, that the recruitment process is fair and transparent and that all candidates are treated in a fair and consistent manner.

"However, I would like to stress that these processes were put in place with the best of intentions to attract candidates from diverse communities, and at no time were the standards of our recruits reduced."

She added: "We have a public-sector equality duty to take action to address underrepresentation, which continues to be a challenge in Cheshire. We will take positive action to achieve a workforce that truly represents our communities in accordance with the Equality Act."