Sexism storm cop who now gives talks on ... sexism
A RETIRED police officer criticised over a sex discrimination case is now giving inspirational speeches on how to tackle ‘white male culture’ at work.
Maxine de Brunner, a former deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, is offering to ‘share her personal journey to the top’ and to advise businesses on ‘achieving transformational change’.
Advice on sale to organisations, her new company says, includes explaining ‘the difficulties and solutions of balancing politics, highprofile cases, high-risk operations while battling a white male culture and ... sexist media reporting’.
Last week Mrs de Brunner was criticised after a discrimination dispute ended with an £870,000 compensation payout by the Met to former chief inspector Adrian Denby. Mr Denby, 49, took his case to an employment tribunal alleging that he had been victimised by Mrs de Brunner while he was in charge of a riot control unit.
Mrs de Brunner, 51, who retired in 2016, is understood to have become incensed after seeing a male officer walking to a locker room with only a towel around his waist. The tribunal heard that this was her ‘pet hate’.
Mr Denby, the tribunal heard, was placed under investigation over alleged malpractice by officers in his unit, including fiddling overtime hours, for which no evidence was found. He was placed on restricted duties and his chances of promotion were blocked. He was later removed from his post.
The tribunal found his treatment had been ‘striking in its unfairness’ and he had been ‘unlawfully punished’ for the towel incident. Advertising her abilities as a speaker, Mrs de Brunner’s company website describes her record of ‘consistently delivering exceptional results in the management of complex, significant and high-profile investigations and operations’.
She offers to address a range of topics, including: ‘How thin is the glass?’ This tackles subjects including ‘disproportionate responses to incidents’, unconscious bias and breaking the glass ceiling.
Her company’s website boasts testimonials from organisations including NHS trusts.
Her best-known investigation was the criminal inquiry into allegations that Princess Diana’s butler Paul Burrell stole hundreds of personal items.
The affair ended with the collapse of an Old Bailey trial in 2002 after the Queen let it be known that Mr Burrell had told her he had taken papers for safekeeping.
Mrs de Brunner told The Times that her version of the Denby tribunal was ‘completely different’ from the way the case had been reported, adding: ‘I contest nearly everything that is being reported. His investigation had nothing to do with my visit. I had absolutely nothing to do with his promotion prospects.’