Martin Tiplady, the £180,000-a-year director of human resources, faces an uncertain future after the woman, who is more than 20 years his junior, made a formal complaint about his conduct.

The Daily Mail has learned that Mr Tiplady, 57, a married father of two, was close friends with Raphaella Hamilton-Appiah.

But for reasons which were unclear last night, relations between the pair have turned sour and she has made a formal complaint about his conduct.

Her claims are being treated ‘very seriously’ and there are fears that Mr Tiplady may be unable to continue in his job for much longer.

The case is a major personal and professional blow for Mr Tiplady, who last week collected his OBE for services to policing, awarded in June.

Colleagues say he is ‘devastated’ by the accusations. Since taking charge of human resources at the Met in 2002, he has won a series of accolades for his efforts to boost ethnic minority recruitment in the force.

He sits on Met chief Sir Paul Stephenson’s management board, which oversees the running of the force.

However his man-management style is not to everyone’s liking and he is regarded by many officers as a controversial figure at Scotland Yard.

Miss Hamilton-Appiah, who has worked in the Met’s Strategy and Improvement Department, is also regarded as a diversity champion. Read More