The man who helped expose a multimillion-pound bribe plot involving BP claimed last night that the oil giant froze him out for blowing the whistle.
Diving contractor Jonah Jones said he was treated like “a leper” after helping reveal a corrupt agreement that saw BP diving boss, Terry Hall, pocket more than £350,000 in kickbacks for contracts.
Hall was later found dead in a hotel room.
After 20 years of contracting his services to the firm, Mr Jones, of Aberdeen, said he never got any more work from BP after raising his concerns.
Despite being head-hunted since, he is still bitter about the way he was treated – and called for contractors to be given the same protection as staff when they make the brave decision to raise concerns about their colleagues.
“Five years on I am still disturbed and disappointed at the way BP treated me, I believe BP management would not have treated a member of staff in the same way,” he said.
“As a contractor, I was easily moved as damage limitation. Without my reporting Terry Hall, his corruption could still be going on.”
Prosecutors said Mr Hall enjoyed a “great deal of freedom” in his position as head of BP’s global diving operations. He pocketed £356,000 between May 2004 and May 2008, before killing himself in 2011 after being charged. He had been paid huge cash sums to fix who got diving contracts.
Three men – including Gary Webster, of Inverurie, and Jeremy Fountain, of Ythanbank, near Ellon – were convicted of conspiracy to corrupt after a court case in London earlier this year. Webster, 54, and Fountain, 50, both received 12-month suspended sentences.
Hall initially tried to implicate Mr Jones in the scandal as well, saying he too was involved.
The claims led to Mr Jones being investigated by police, who found no misconduct on his part. He assisted their inquiries.
Mr Jones said Hall’s unfounded claims led to his communications with BP management and staff being restricted.
He believes his uncovering of what was going on “caused embarrassment,” and resulted in him no longer being given work with the firm.
He has now written to Trevor Garlick, BP’s regional president for the North Sea, calling for greater protection for contractors in similar circumstances.
“I would still like to think that honesty pays,” he said.
“But I’m shocked at the way I have been treated for an honest action which has probably saved the company millions of pounds.”
Last night the firm said it could not comment on individual cases. However, a source said that bosses were aware of Mr Jones’ concerns.
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