Scottish Government ‘whistleblower’ loses bullying case tribunal

0 Deeann Fitzpatrick claims she experienced bullying A Scottish Government agency employee who was pictured bound and gagged at work has lost her case at an employment tribunal.

Deeann Fitzpatrick claimed she experienced bullying and harassment after she became a “whistleblower” while employed as a fisheries officer with Marine Scotland.

At an employment tribunal in Aberdeen in June, the 49-year-old Canadian national said she felt intimidated after being sent anonymous cards, claiming she was targeted with sexual harassment and for being a woman, as well as over her age.

She said she believed the abusive cards, received on Valentine’s Day and her birthday, to be from colleagues.

The harassment was said to have taken place between 2015 and 2017 while she was based in the government body’s Scrabster office in the Highlands and continued after she was signed off.

She had told the hearing the ordeal made her consider ending her own life at a special overseas clinic.

She said: “It has actually made me become a recluse. I stay at home. I have gone more into myself. With everything going on, I contacted Dignitas in Switzerland. I had enough.”

Ms Fitzpatrick had also claimed she was taped to a chair and gagged by colleagues in 2010.

However, it is understood the tribunal was unable to consider that allegation as it was said to have taken place more than three years before the complaint was brought.

The employment tribunal ruled against Ms Fitzpatrick in its decision on the case.

Its judgment said it could not be agreed whether the cards were likely to have come from current colleagues.

Following the verdict, Ms Fitzpatrick told reporters: “It is difficult when you spend your entire career fighting racism, misogyny and bullies.

“Then, to make matters worse, when you report the incidents you are the one that is being targeted by an ongoing campaign by senior management because you exposed what they have worked very hard to hide.”

Her family has said they are “hugely disappointed” but the decision was “not unexpected” as the alleged restraint incident could not be taken into account.

Earlier in the year First Minister Nicola Sturgeon directed the government’s permanent secretary Leslie Evans to carry out a review of the case.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are committed to ensuring our employees are treated with dignity and respect, and our workplaces are free from all forms of discrimination or harassment.”