A government worker claims she was tied to her office chair and gagged by colleagues as revenge after she reported an alleged culture of bullying in her workplace.
In a shocking image allegedly taken by one of the abusers, DeeAnn Fitzpatrick is seen taped to a chair with her arms pinned by her sides. The photo of her being taped up was obtained by the BBC. Ms Fitzpatrick claims she was the victim of racist and misogynist bullying while working at a government agency for fisheries in Scotland.
In evidence to a tribunal, Canadian national Ms Fitzpatrick, 49, claims she was told: "This is what you get when you speak out against the boys."
The harassment allegedly took place in 2010 while she was working at Marine Scotland’s office in Scrabster on the far north Caithness coast but because it has taken more than three years before she brought her employment case the tribunal won’t make a judgment on it.
Ms Fitzpatrick told the tribunal that over a period of ten years she was subject to bullying, including being mocked about her miscarriage and told some staff didn’t want "a woman, especially a foreign woman". While working there she says she heard extreme racist language and threatening behaviour to female staff. She says she was also sent anonymous Valentine’s calling her a "troll" and saying "we miss you, not".
Ms Fitzpatrick's sister-in-law Sherry Fitzpatrick told the BBC she wanted the photograph of Ms Fitzpatrick taped to a chair to be circulated.
She said:
We were horrified. We were sickened. We worry about what this has done to her. She’s not giving up and now her family is behind her, and we’re not giving up until someone is made accountable for their actions.
Jody Paske, one of the men accused by DeAnn, told the BBC:
These are false allegations. I can’t remember the event you mention, but if it did happen, it would have been office banter. Just a craic. Certainly nothing to do with abuse.
Jody Paske
DeAnn Fitzpatrick, who has been signed off since the death of her father, faces a disciplinary hearing herself at the end of May, accused by the government of being "rude and overzealous" at work. She claims this was engineered to get rid of her and is supported in this by Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant, who told the BBC:
They [Ms Fitzpatrick’s employers] just won’t listen. So their way of resolving it is actually getting the woman out of the workplace, getting the woman out of the man’s job.
The Scottish Government said:
The Scottish Government have clear standards of behaviour which apply to all staff. Any concerns raised by staff are taken seriously and investigated fully.
