Ben Laws and Joe Winspear have lost their appeal to be reinstated in their jobs with Whitby Lifeboat Crew (Picture: RNLI)

Two lifeboatmen who were sacked for having mugs with naked women on them in their office have lost their appeal to be reinstated in their jobs.

Ben Laws, who has 15 years of experience volunteering for the charity, and colleague Joe Winspear were sacked over the phone on May 1, after a senior female colleague found the mugs at their HQ in Whitby, North Yorkshire and then reported them.

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Four other members of the Whitby lifeboat crew resigned over the sackings and a fifth is said to be quitting imminently as well.

Despite the pair appealing over the decision to dismiss them, they have been told that they will not be reinstated to the Whitby Lifeboat Crew.




Joe said he is ‘heartbroken’ after being fired from the job he loved along with crewmate Ben Laws.

Ben said he was ‘sad to say goodbye to the RNLI’ after ‘a great 15 years’ with a team he regarded as ‘family’.

Im Sad to say goodbye to the rnli today, it's been a great 15 years ive met and served with some awesome lads and… Posted by Ben Laws on Monday, June 11, 2018

He added: ‘Hopefully, they will see sense and wake up and see the real problems at Whitby and try and make it better for the good of the public who we are supposed to be keeping safe.’

The four colleagues who resigned in protest are navigator Steve Boocock, helmsman Martyn Cairns and trainees Neil Cook and Simon Rhodes.

Joe said: ‘I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that has contacted us and supported us though this entire nightmare..

‘Today myself and Ben received the decision that we will not be reinstated to the Whitby Lifeboat Crew, which for us is a heart-breaking decision as all we have ever wanted to do was to save lives at sea.

Navigator Steve Boocock resigned in protest at his colleagues’ dismissal (Picture: RNLI)

Helmsman Martyn Cairns also resigned following the dismisal of Laws and Winspear (Picture: RNLI)

‘The mugs where a light-hearted joke between the crew of which no one of the crew was offended.

‘Many of you will know that from time to time we have to see and deal with circumstances that no one should ever have to deal with. I have received limited if any support from the RNLI after events like that.

‘The mugs were found by an Area Lifesaving Manager and we as a crew were told that if they were taken off the station no further action would be taken.

‘They were taken off station within 48 hours. Two months later we received emails from the RNLI stating that we were under investigation for a breach of the Code of Conduct and we had to attend a mandatory interview.’

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Trainee Neil Cook also resigned (Picture: RNLI)

Trainee Simon Rhodes resigned and a fifth member is said to be resigning imminently (Picture: RNLI)

He said he was ‘hounded for days’ be interviewed by bosses and when he did he was told he could not have any one sit in with him – despite his solicitor saying he should have had someone present.

The crew was also ordered to attend another meeting in April where they were ‘talked down, and laughed at by a highly paid Inclusion & Diversity Manager for the RNLI on points we were trying to raise and in my opinion completely disrespected for the volunteer role we do’.



During a series of meetings surrounding his sacking, he says he was ‘accused of being threatening and abusive towards a member of staff which is completely false’.

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He added: ‘The next day I was contacted by the Hearing Manager and was sacked/stood down on the telephone. That conversation lasted less than 60 seconds.

‘I feel that the punishment doesn’t reflect the situation – the mug wasn’t intended to be kept on Station.

‘Everyone makes mistakes from time to time – but it seems the RNLI don’t give second chances.

‘I have been a dedicated volunteer and feel I have been made an example of. All of this has cost the institution thousands of pounds which is money supposed to be used to save lives at sea.

‘Many of you will have seen the recent recruitment advertisement for a Safeguard Officer with a £40,000+ a year salary.’

Joe said he is ‘heartbroken’ after being fired from the job he loved along with crewmate Ben Laws. (Picture: Getty)

He alleged donations were also used to investigate crew members throughout the country – ‘just a few being St Helier, Scarborough, Arbroath, Whitby, Bridlington, and Filey’.

He concluded: ‘Anybody that’s knows me will know that I am Lifeboat through and through and today’s news is devastating. Whitby 21 signing off.’

Steve Boocock said it had also been confirmed his time on Whitby Lifeboat crew had come to an end.

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He said: ‘I have enjoyed the last 18 years of service, worked with some great lads and lasses and served under some legendary coxswains.

‘I really wanted to reach my 20 years but sadly recent events and some disgraceful decisions by the RNLI has put that ambition to bed. Thanks to all those who i have served with for all those years.’


The RNLI said: ‘Following a fair and robust investigation and appeal process, we have upheld our decision to stand down two crew members from Whitby RNLI.

‘Volunteers are entitled to appeal against our decisions and each case is considered on an individual basis. In this case, no new evidence was presented to us and we stand by our original decision.

‘We recognise the years of dedication it takes to become a crew member and do not stand volunteers down lightly.

‘But, like any emergency service, the RNLI sets high standards and expects all its volunteers and staff to set an example, not just in terms of their maritime expertise but also in their behaviour and respect for others.

‘One volunteer was stood down for social media activity which targeted a member of RNLI staff without their knowledge and produced graphic sexual images which went far beyond banter.

‘The other volunteer produced a hardcore pornographic image of a fellow crew member on a mug.

‘Some newspapers created their own image of a mug, but the actual image produced by the volunteer was so graphic that no newspaper would be able to print it without breaking the law.

‘We will continue to challenge any inappropriate behaviours and practices by staff or volunteers, and we do this for the thousands of volunteers who are committed to doing the right thing as they operate our 238 lifeboat stations 24/7.

‘The remaining volunteer crew at Whitby are working closely with the RNLI to operate an effective lifesaving operation at Whitby lifeboat station.


‘We would ask the local community to continue to support our volunteers, in what has been a challenging time, as they remain dedicated to saving lives on the Yorkshire coast.

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