A civil servant who was sacked for lying about being tied to a chair at work faced previous disciplinary action for “exaggerating allegations” against colleagues, a tribunal has heard.
DeeAnn Fitzpatrick, who claimed she was tied up and gagged for whistleblowing on misogyny and abuse within Marine Scotland, received a written warning in relation to a separate incident in 2012 which was later overturned on appeal.
She is currently pursuing an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal after being sacked last year over claims she lied about the nature and timing of a photograph showing her gagged and taped to a chair in the government body’s Scrabster office.
The image, which went viral at the peak of the #metoo movement, prompted a national outcry and an investigation by the Scottish Government. However, the probe found the men involved had “no case to answer” and Ms Fitzpatrick was instead dismissed for gross misconduct.
She is now seeking to be reinstated by Marine Scotland and claims she was sacked because she complained.
The tribunal yesterday heard evidence from the government’s director of justice Neil Rennick who heard Ms Fitzpatrick’s disciplinary appeal on the chair incident.
Solicitor Andrew Gibson, representing Marine Scotland, asked Mr Rennick what impression he was left in relation to the claimant’s honesty over the event.
Mr Rennick said: “When I specifically pursued questions around the circumstances of the chair incident and of her handling of that, the...
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