Scottish Government agency worker denies sending ‘intimidating’ cards herself

A Scottish Government agency worker has denied sending herself “intimidating'' anonymous cards to create “false claims'' about colleagues, a tribunal has heard.

DeeAnn Fitzpatrick told the employment tribunal in Aberdeen on Wednesday she experienced bullying and harassment after she became a “whistleblower'' while employed at Marine Scotland.

She told the tribunal she had once contacted the Dignitas clinic after feeling intimidated.

In a previous hearing, Ms Fitzpatrick alleged she was taped to a chair and gagged by colleagues in 2010.

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

The 49-year-old Canadian national said she had felt intimidated after being sent anonymous cards.

She alleged two colleagues - Derek Yule and Reid Anderson - were responsible for sending them.

Andrew Gibson, representing Scottish ministers, put it to Ms Fitzpatrick there were a number of people in the community who did not like her and they could have sent the cards or they could have been created by herself.

He said: “Nobody's admitted to sending these cards. It's a possibility that a member of the community may have sent these cards.

“It's a possibility that a member of the fishing community may have sent these cards.

“We just don't know who sent the cards to you.

“You may have sent the cards to yourself to try and make false claims about Mr Yule or your colleagues.

“It's another possibility you may have got someone to create a false claim to cover your tracks.''

The witness asserted she believed the cards, received on Valentine's Day and around her birthday every year between 2015 and 2017, to be from colleagues.

She added “it's not a possibility for me'' to have sent them.

A message in one called her an “old troll'' and another warned her about trying to “climb the ladder of success'', she told the tribunal.

She said: “When I first started getting the cards, it made me feel awful.

“But as they continued, yes it's affected my self-esteem.

“It's 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.''

Dignitas provides assisted suicide to those who suffer from a terminal illness, severe physical or mental illnesses.

Other cards described her as “sexy'' and made fun of her getting another year older on her birthday.

Ms Fitzpatrick told the tribunal she had worked for Marine Scotland, which oversees work in the country's seas, since 2006.

The alleged abuse is said to have taken place while she was based in the government body's Scrabster office in the Highlands and continued after she was signed off.

Mr Gibson told the tribunal both men denied the claims and said there appeared to be four different types of handwriting in the cards.

He raised the point that Mr Anderson had been based in the Cambeltown office in Argyll and Bute since 2011.

It was also heard that Mr Yule had been working London the week one of the letters with an Inverness postmark was sent.

The tribunal before employment judge James Hendry continues on Thursday.