Sturgeon ‘horrified’ by Marine Scotland employee’s ordeal
Scotland’s most senior civil servant is to investigate claims that a female employee of Marine Scotland was gagged and taped to a chair.
At First Minister’s Questions, Nicola Sturgeon said she was “horrified” by the case and had instructed Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans to conduct a full review of the abuse suffered by Deeann Fitzpatrick,49.
Ms Fitzpatrick has complained of bullying and misogyny while working at the offices of Marine Scotland in Scrabster, Caithness, in the Highlands.
An image has emerged of her taped to a chair and gagged in an incident alleged to have taken place after she spoke out over the claims. She has now taken her case to an employment tribunal.
Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant raised the case at First Minister’s Questions. Ms Sturgeon said: “I am absolutely horrified at the photograph that has been in the media over the past 24 hours and I’m also horrified at the circumstances in which that photograph is alleged to have been taken.
“Bullying, abuse, sexism, racism have no place in any workplace and let me be very clear today: they will not be tolerated within the Scottish Government or within our agencies.
“I have this morning asked the permanent secretary of the Scottish Government to conduct a full review of the circumstances of this case.”
The Permanent Secretary will report her findings to the First Minister.