A Border Force officer has lost an unfair dismissal case after he was sacked for using a company car to make a detour to see his dying father.
asserted
he → lose → father
Alexander Casteel diverted just 18 miles on two occasions to see his terminally ill father while he was away on a training course and using a company car.
He also made a 10-minute diversion to drop dog medication off at his daughter’s house, a tribunal heard.
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tribunal → divert → house
Mr Casteel, a Border Force officer based at Glasgow Airport, was spotted making the deviations from his scheduled route using company telematics and had not asked for permission.
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Casteel → base → permission
The three diversions, which totalled over two hours and 80 miles, led to Mr Casteel being sacked for gross misconduct.
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Casteel → total → misconduct
He took the case to an employment tribunal claiming that he had been unfairly dismissed – but his claims were thrown out by a judge.
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claims → take → judge
Mr Casteel began working as a Border Force Officer at the airport in February 2019.
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Casteel → begin → February
Part of his policy as a civil servant said: ‘The use of fleet vehicles for private purposes is expressly prohibited.’
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use → say → purposes
Alexander Casteel's three diversions totalled more than two hours and 80 miles
Staff in breach of this would not be insured and private use would constitute a criminal offence unless authorisation was given.
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authorisation → total → offence
In August 2025, his line manager, Gary Ollerton, sent him an email saying: ‘It has been noted from the telematics for our official vehicles that some obscure locations have been noted whilst you were driving them.
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you → send → them
‘Can you please offer an explanation for the dates and destinations that are detailed?’
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that → offer → dates
He replied saying the diversions were minor, with the first being to drop off medication for his dog and the other two to make urgent visits to his father.
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two → reply → father
The first diversion in March 2025 was ten minutes to his daughter’s house whilst travelling from Glasgow to Birmingham.
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diversion → travel → Birmingham
The later incidents happened in July 2025 while he was away on a training course and staying in Runcorn, Cheshire.
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he → happen → Runcorn
He made a 40-minute diversion and a 90-minute diversion on two occasions to Chester where his terminally ill father lived in a care home.
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father → make → home
The three diversions totalled 80 miles.
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diversions → total → miles
A disciplinary investigation began but he was not suspended, however, when more information came to light a further hearing began.
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hearing → begin → light
It was found that he had not sought authorisation for the deviations, did not record any variations to his journeys and would not have been insured.
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he → find → journeys
It was decided his actions amounted to gross misconduct and he was sacked.
Mr Casteel said he was bullied by colleagues and would have made more of an effort to seek retrospective permission had he not been bullied.
He took the case to an employment tribunal in Glasgow where his unfair dismissal complaint was rejected.
Employment Judge Michelle Sutherland said: ‘[Mr Casteel] submits that his dismissal was unfair because [Mr Ollerton], his line manager, conducted an informal investigation without advising him of the allegations, the disciplinary risk and his right to representation.
‘
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Ollerton → decide → representation
It was entirely reasonable for his manager to ask [Mr Casteel] to explain the deviations to his route.
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manager → ask → route
‘These did not constitute allegations until it was apparent that [Mr Casteel] was unable to provide a business related reason.
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Casteel → constitute → reason
‘[Mr Casteel] was a civil servant and expected to uphold the Civil Service Values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
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Casteel → expect → integrity
‘[Mr Casteel] was or ought reasonably to have been aware that he was not permitted to use an official vehicle for personal use given the terms of the policy.
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he → permit → policy
‘[UK Border Force] had a reasonable belief that [Mr Casteel] had driven an official vehicle for unauthorised purposes namely that on three occasions he had deviated from his route for personal reasons.’
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he → have → reasons
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