SEPA chief executive leaves with immediate effect following 'conduct allegations'

The chief executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has stepped down following “conduct allegations”.

Terry A’Hearn’s exit comes ahead of an Audit Scotland investigation into a debilitating hack that cost the environmental watchdog hundreds of thousands of pounds. 

In a short statement, Sepa’s chairman, Bob Downes, said: “Following conduct allegations, Terry A’Hearn has stepped down and left his position. Sepa has a clear Code of Conduct and takes conduct allegations very seriously indeed. In order to protect anonymity, Sepa is unable to comment further.”

Downes said that recruitment for a new chief executive would start soon, and in the meantime, chief officer Jo Green would be acting chief executive. 

Sepa had more than 4,000 digital files stolen on Christmas Eve 2020 by a ransomware group. Because the organisation refused to pay the ransom, the stolen files were then released on the internet.