Sacked captain Nick Cooke-Priest still in command despite being flown off aircraft carrier
The Royal Navy said Captain Nick Cooke-Priest had been flown off the HMS Queen Elizabeth as a "precautionary measure".
Thursday 23 May 2019 11:41, UK
The captain of a UK aircraft carrier has been dramatically flown off the ship following his sacking last week.
Nick Cooke-Priest was helicoptered off HMS Queen Elizabeth "as a precautionary measure", according to an official Royal Navy statement.
It said: "In light of the ongoing investigation, as a precautionary measure to protect both the individual and the ship's company the Royal Navy has decided that Captain Nick Cooke-Priest will not be at sea in HMS Queen Elizabeth."
Bizarrely though, he remains in official command of the ship until a successor takes over next week.
Captain Cooke-Priest was relieved of his command when it was discovered he used a company-provided vehicle for personal use at weekends.
Captains of Royal Navy warships are loaned cars for official use, but Cooke-Priest was found to be using one outside of naval duties.
Sky News has been told the subsequent investigation has found he was warned on a number of occasions and according to one source, the use of the Ford Galaxy car was "extensive".
Cooke-Priest remains in the Royal Navy and has been moved sideways to a new role, but his prospects of further promotion are said to be over.
He is an experienced officer and said to be one of the best from his generation. Cooke-Priest joined the Royal Navy in 1990 and initially specialised as a Lynx helicopter pilot.
In 2009, he was promoted to commander, escorting the Queen during a royal tour on HMS Kent before later taking charge of HMS Iron Duke, and HMS Bulwark, the Fleet Flag Ship.
In 2016 he was awarded an OBE.