Lecturer ‘forced out' after false racism claim seeks £450K compensation
The tribunal heard how a fellow lecturer mocked her disabilities on several occasions by tapping her head to indicate her 'mental problems' and made derogatory remarks about her loss of memory.
This was reported to the college by students who had recorded a lesson for their note-taking.
An investigation was launched after one of them also complained the colleague said her coursework had been deleted because Dr Turton disliked her 'because of [her] family background and that all Gypsies should not be allowed to have an education'.
The judge ruled this was 'fabricated information' of 'false racist remarks' concerning the student's Traveller heritage.
After hearing about the rumours, Dr Turton posted on Facebook asking her followers if anyone had heard what was being said- which was later taken down at the college's request.
Smear campaign
She added: 'I needed to know if there were rumours about me being a racist, and there were. I was fighting a smear campaign against me. My first concern was for the student, and I asked for somebody else to cover her class.
'Then I thought, if they believe it, I could be sacked on the spot, lose my house and even get a criminal record.'
Dr Turton was signed off sick with 'stress-related illness', returning in March 2022 and working mostly from home at her request to avoid the lecturer and another colleague.
A confrontation took place at the Medway campus in April 2022 when she came across the two women in the staff room and they both shouted at her: 'Hello, Sharon.' Other members of staff described this as 'very confrontational' and 'excessive' behaviour.
Of the six complaints, including harassment related to disability, direct disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments for disabilities, three were 'well-founded' and three were dismissed.
In June 2022, Dr Turton and the two other lecturers were informed they were at risk of redundancy 'due to a reduction in student numbers'. While signed off work, she was invited to a redundancy selection interview but she accepted voluntary redundancy instead due to her health issues.
'Considerable evidence'
The report said she felt that she had no option but to take redundancy saying she believed if she stayed she would have died.
The tribunal found 'considerable evidence' that decision-makers considered Dr Turton to be difficult and internal HR emails suggest they may have seen redundancy as an 'opportunity' to dismiss her.
Speaking at her home in Ashford, she said: 'I loved the job and had planned to continue until I was 71. I was given the option to postpone the hearing because I had more evidence, but this has gone on too long and I needed to get it over [with].'
She said her aim was to make managers and HR teams aware of the problems facing disabled people in the workplace and to 'expose' the behaviour shown to her. 'It's no good knowing about the Equality Act if you don't know about hidden disabilities,' she added. 'People ask what proof you have, but a lot of it is verbal and you don't have any.
'Luckily, I have family in the legal profession who have helped me. But there are many in my situation who will not know how to get evidence together.'
'Extremely serious'
Simon Cook, the principal and chief executive of MidKent College, said the college takes the findings 'extremely seriously'.
He said: 'Throughout this time, the college has continued to learn and grow, strengthening its policies and practices to foster a more inclusive workplace.
'We are reviewing our internal processes to ensure that all concerns raised by staff are appropriately addressed and that our commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion are upheld in all aspects of college life.'
Dr Turton thanked her legal team for fighting her case through the tribunal and not accepting an out-of-court settlement.
The lecturer has three daughters and six grandchildren, and an 11-month-old Doberman puppy to keep her company.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
24 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Holywell: Father Dominic Cawdell set for final service
Father Dominic Cawdell, as well as wardens and church officers, are among those set to leave the Holywell and Greenfield Churches community in coming weeks. Father Cawdell sent a letter of resignation as vicar of those areas to the Bishop of St. Asaph. He announced his decision during Sunday Eucharist services at St Peter's, Holywell, and Holy Trinity, Greenfield. A post, now deleted, from the Holywell and Greenfield Churches Facebook page stated that the 'situation has become toxic for everyone involved' and 'there seems to be no clear end in sight'. Father Cawdell has decided to step down for 'the sake of his physical and mental wellbeing'. TOP STORIES TODAY It has now been confirmed that he will take his last Sunday Service on June 29. A statement from Holywell and Greenfield Churches read: "It was announced today that Father Dominic's Last Sunday Service as Vicar of Holywell will be 11am on 29th June in St Peter's Church - followed by a Bring and Share Lunch." News of the vicar's departure has been met with disappointment from the community. Many people have described him as a 'wonderful man' and a number of fundraisers have also been set up to support him upon his departure. A spokesperson for the Diocese of St Asaph previously said: 'The Bishop and his senior staff have been engaged with a challenging and sensitive situation in the churches in Holywell and the Estuary and Mountain Mission Area for some time. "They continue to be committed to resolving the issues, with the wellbeing of all involved being the paramount concern. For that reason, it would be inappropriate to comment publicly on any details.'
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
I'm the famous Peru Two drug mule – this is my warning to Brit tourists… and how gangs know EXACTLY who to target
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PERU Two drug mule Michaella McCollum has warned Brit tourists about how trafficking gangs lure young girls into their criminal operations. The infamous drug trafficker served three years behind bars in 2013 alongside Melissa Reid after they were handpicked to smuggle £1.5million worth cocaine into Peru. 8 Peru Two drug mule Michaella McCollum has warned Brit tourists about how trafficking gangs lure young girls into their criminal operations Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 8 Brit Bella May Culley was arrested in Tbilisi airport, Georgia, with a suitcase packed with drugs Credit: Facebook 8 Charlotte May Lee, 21, former TUI flight attendant from Coulsdon, was allegedly recruited to smuggle drugs into Sri Lanka Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Since being freed from a hellhole jail in Lima, McCollum transformed her life and is now a mum and public speaker. Part of her work includes exposing how foreign drug operations try and recruit British mules. The 31-year-old appeared on Good Morning Britain this morning to speak on the increasing danger of Brits being preyed upon abroad. It comes after a spate of young women being arrested on trafficking charges including Bella May Culley, 18, and Charlotte May Lee, 21. McCollum told Susanna Reid that people are often picked by drug chiefs specifically due to how vulnerable they appear. She explained: "That's what they do these organisations, they have people that are pickers and their job is to pick people to become mules. "They'll target vulnerabilities which might be age because at 19 or 20 you're incredibly naive, you're easy to manipulate. "Then women as well as obviously women tend to be groomed and coerced in situations a lot more. "Then whether you have a drug addiction as that could also be a vulnerability." McCollum was aged 19 at the time of her first being recruited with her Peru Two partner Reid being only 20. Charlotte May Lee fears being locked away for 20yrs over £1.2m Sri Lanka drugs bust – & is 'aware' of Bella Culley case She has also been open about her drug habits around the time of her arrest as she believes this contributed to her recruitment. Bella Culley - the teen arrested in Georgia last month - was seen smoking in videos shared to her social media in the weeks before she was stopped at the border and detained. Michaella also revealed that the drug kingpins ordering young women to become traffickers are masters at manipulation. She says that when she was first coerced into taking a suitcase of cocaine across the border her bosses convinced her that everything would be okay. Michaella was made to feel like a "little girl" when she questioned the dangers of smuggling, she said. Her concerns were always met with simple solutions, she added. She recalled once asking about how they would get the drugs through the airport before being told the airport staff is in cahoots with the operations being carried out and allow them. By the time she realised the answers were a lie, Michaelle said she was already in handcuffs. 8 Michaella McCollum entering the Sarita Colonia jail with a police escort in October, 2013 Credit: EPA 8 McCollum told Susanna Reid that people are often picked by drug chiefs specifically due to how vulnerable they appear Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 8 Michaella McCollum is now a mum-of-two and author Credit: Instagram/@Michaella_McCollum She continued: "You have to understand that the level of manipulation that goes on behind it as it's not just overnight, it can be weeks of manipulation. "They ended up making me believe that this was totally fine. I was being dramatic, I was being naive to question it. "So I was so scared to say no and men know they can manipulate women to do things and I was so scared to just say no." Both Peru Two mules became friends when holidaying in Ibiza in August 2013 and were soon coerced into cocaine trafficking. But in October, they were arrested as they stepped off a lane in Lima, Peru. McCollum and Reid were convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to six years and eight months in a dismal Ancon 2 prison. At the time, the pair's horror trip led them to becoming household names as they both admitted to being used by the gangs. In recent weeks, a string of British women have faced similar worrying experiences after being recruited by foreign gangs. A couple claiming to be tourists from Thailand were busted with more than 33kg of cannabis in their suitcases at a Spanish airport in May. Why Brit backpackers are prime targets, Thai cop reveals By Patrick Harrington, Foreign News Reporter Police Lieutenant Colonel Arun Musikim, Deputy Inspector of the Surat Thani province police force, said: 'Cases involving British nationals smuggling cannabis have been around for a while. 'There is a lot of cannabis grown on Thailand's islands in the south because the climate is suitable and it is legal. A lot of gangs are attracted to this. 'There are now various smuggling methods that we have seen. Some carry it themselves, some hire backpackers, and some send it via mail. 'This year, there have been many cases we have intercepted. Most involve British and Malaysian nationals. 'It's easy for British citizens to travel as they can enter Thailand and return to the UK without needing a visa. 'Most of the smugglers are people hired to carry the cannabis, similar to how tourists might smuggle tax-free goods. 'They're usually unemployed individuals from the UK. The gangs offer them flights, pocket money and hotel stays, just to come and travel and take a bag back home with them. 'These people often have poor social standing at home and are looking for ways to earn quick money. They find them through friends or on social media. 'Many will go to festivals or parties while they are here, just like they are having a normal trip abroad. 'They are told that it is easy and they will not be caught. Then the amount the organisers can sell the cannabis for in the UK is much higher than it costs in Thailand. 'Police suspect that there are multiple employers and groups receiving the drugs on the other end. The cannabis then enters the UK market. 'We are being vigilant to ensure there are no routes out of the country.' A British OnlyFans model was also caught allegedly smuggling nearly £200,000 worth of Thai cannabis into Spain. But the two largest and most concerning cases covered Bella and Charlotte. Bella sparked a massive international search operation in early May after she was reported missing while holidaying in Thailand. However, it was later revealed that the teen, from Billingham, County Durham, had been arrested 4,000 miles away on drug offences in Georgia. She was allegedly carrying 30 pounds (14kg) of cannabis into the ex-Soviet nation. Around the same time, 21-year-old Charlotte Lee May, from Coulsdon, south London, was also arrested in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo after police discovered 46 kg of 'Kush' - a synthetic strain of cannabis - in her suitcase. The former flight attendant is now facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted. 8 Bella pictured in court in Tbilisi after she was detained at a Georgian airport Credit: East2West
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
He throttled a teenager with a fence post, then bragged on Facebook he'd do even worse
He throttled a teenager with a fence post, then bragged on Facebook he'd do even worse George Kovacs told his 17-year-old victim "I'm going to kill you… come back again and I will slice you" George Kovacs (Image: North Wales Police ) A man attacked a teenager who he believed was "up to no good" near his property and broke his arm and wrist, a court has heard. George Kovacs set about the 17-year-old with a fence post and pole and threatened to kill him if he returned. Sending the 57-year-old father to prison a judge said he had read about issues involving people misbehaving and causing damage in the area where the defendant lived, but he told him: "What you did went far beyond anything you reasonably thought you could do to protect that property." Amy Edwards, prosecuting, told Caernarfon Crown Court that on December 17, 2022, two then-17-year-old friends were walking in the mountains in the Waunfawr area of Gwynedd when they noticed an abandoned outbuilding and "out of curiosity" walked towards it. The barrister said as they approached the building a vehicle drove past them before stopping and reversing back to them. The driver of the vehicle, Kovacs, got out and shouted "What the f*** are you boys doing here?" The court heard that one of the teenagers, Kian Williams, who is now an adult, apologised to the driver but Kovacs continued "ranting" and the teenager told him: "There's no need to be a d*** about it." The prosecutor said Kovacs then grabbed a fence post and began swinging it around and striking Mr Williams, with the teenager putting his arms up to protect himself. The force of the blows were such that the post snapped. The court heard the defendant continued shouting that the boys should leave the area before grabbing Mr Williams, pushing him up against a wall and throwing a number of punches, all of which missed their target. The prosecutor said the teenagers made for the footpath but Kovacs armed himself with a pole and followed them. The defendant struck Mr Williams a number of times to the legs and the back, though the blows to the back were cushioned by the rucksack he was wearing. Kovacs told the teenagers: "I'm going to kill you… come back again and I will slice you." For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Article continues below The court heard that the teenagers made their way home and Mr Williams was subsequently taken to Bangor's Ysbyty Gwynedd by his father where doctors found he had a fractured arm and a fracture to bones in his wrist which required surgery. Meanwhile Kovacs put a post on a Facebook saying: "The lads who came from Liverpool or Manchester to my place, don't come back… next time they will have more then just a limp. Merry Christmas." He also said he had the registration of a vehicle they had been seen getting into. The court heard Kovacs was arrested and interviewed and admitted striking the teenager with a pole saying his actions were justified as he was protecting his property. In an impact statement written in May this year which was read to the court the victim said he still suffers with pain in his wrist and gets flashbacks to what happened in Waunfawr. He said he feels fearful when he goes out and constantly thinks of the defendant, adding: "This incident has taught me a lot of lessons about the man I want to be. I want to be the complete opposite of him." George Kovacs, of Ceunant, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has five previous convictions for eight offences including weapons offences but none for violence. Laura Knightly, for Kovacs, said the defendant lived in a "secluded area" with his wife and children and said he was a hard-working man. She, while in no way excusing his actions on the day in question, said there had been "concerns and fears in the area for some time" and that Kovacs' suspicions of the teenagers and his fears of what might happen "caused him to behave in this out-of-character way". The barrister added that her client thinks he may have blacked out during the incident. Article continues below Judge Timothy Petts said in December 2022 Kovacs saw two young men in the vicinity of a property near to where he lived and, believing they were "up to no good", he confronted them. He said he had read references written to the court detailing problems with people misbehaving and causing damage in the rea but he told the defendant: "What you did went far beyond anything you reasonably thought you could do to protect that property." With a 15% discount for his guilty plea Kovacs was sentenced to 33 months in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The defendant was also made the subject of a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting his victim.
