The SUN
6 July 2005

 

Victory for jail abuse whistleblower Six-figure damages awarded to prison officer forced out after she accused colleagues of bullying inmates Sarah Sims Sunday June 26, 2005 The Observer A prison service whistleblower who alleged a litany of abuse at a high-security jail is set to gain a six-figure sum in compensation after winning a claim for unfair dismissal. Carol Lingard, 37, saw her promising 15-year career as a prison officer destroyed when she reported claims of prisoners being bullied and intimidated at Wakefield prison in west Yorkshire. An employment tribunal earlier this year, where Lingard won her case, heard that colleagues treated her as 'a grass' and her managers failed to take her complaints seriously. Examining the two unsuccessful investigations into her claims, the tribunal heavily criticised the Prison Service management, including the former governor John Slater, the former deputy governor Colin Blakeman - now governor of Leeds prison - and the deputy director of the service, Peter Atherton. Lingard has since received an apology from the director general of the Service, Phil Wheatley, who acknow-ledged that the organisation, its Professional Standards Unit (PSU) - established by new whistle-blowing legislation - and his deputy all failed to deal properly with her allegations. Today, although she can toast her victory, Lingard is angry that she lost her job as a senior prison officer over her allegations - which have still not been fully investigated. 'I began losing my hair, large clumps of it,' she said. 'I've been out of work for two-and-a-half years and I am still taking medicine for anxiety. 'I don't think any prison employee today would go to the PSU with their concerns. I was consistently deemed the problem, all the way to top management.' Lingard got her first job in the prison service aged 20, and after 10 years' service she was no stranger to the harsh realities of life behind bars when she joined Wakefield as a senior officer in January 1999. Wakefield has around 580 inmates, including Roy Whiting, the killer of eight-year-old Sarah Payne and Ian Huntley, who murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10. In August 2002, when Lingard first made her allegations, she ran B-wing with 180 prisoners and 40 staff. 'My appraisals had been fantastic. I was the only senior officer picked for fast-track governor assessment,' she said. The tribunal heard that Lingard was vilified as a whistleblower after her string of allegations, which centred on one prison officer. She claimed the officer warned a sex offender he could get slashed by other inmates if he was found with images of children. Lingard alleged that the officer then attempted to have the material planted in the prisoner's cell. Tensions were running high against paedophiles at Wakefield after the murder of Holly and Jessica. Whiting had been attacked and there was more trouble brewing. Lingard alleged that the officer had forged another prisoner's records to show poor behaviour and that he was involved in a suspicious assault allegation against the same inmate. She claimed that the officer had performed Hitler salutes at the probation board of a German inmate. Lingard highlighted her concerns to her line managers. Within 48 hours, she said, 'word spread that I was "a grass" and suddenly I was discriminated against, intimidated and stonewalled. 'Work became a very hostile, unsafe environment. Backs literally turned whenever I entered a room or corridor and gates slammed in my face. I was made to feel as if I had done something dreadful, and that I was going to pay for it.' she said. 'I just couldn't carry on. I couldn't sleep or eat. I was 32 weeks pregnant, had previously suffered two miscarriages and I was losing weight.' An initial investigation - later described as 'poor' and 'not professional' by the tribunal - found 'no evidence' to support Lingard's allegations. Despite approaching Slater, the prison governor, and the PSU - which briefly investigated her claims but failed to discover the truth - her complaint went no further. Demoralised, Lingard turned to her brother, John Sturzaker, a lawyer, for help. 'Carol was right to report the allegations but I was astonished that the matter had not been sorted out in 18 months and was appalled at how it was handled,' said Sturzaker. In April 2004, Lingard brought a claim before the employment tribunal. She found out that Wakefield had taken steps to medically retire her. 'Their own doctor told them that my illness was caused by their actions,' she said angrily. The tribunal attacked the senior management at the prison and the service. Its judgment was peppered with damning judgments: 'startling and disturbing,' 'seriously flawed judgement,' 'collective failures,' 'beyond belief,' 'miscarriage of justice,' and 'serious misgivings'. 'Carol was a successful, highly regarded member of staff who made five serious allegations and was instantly regarded as the problem' said Sturzaker. 'A corporate inability to properly investigate and a contempt for those who are brave enough to report wrongdoing emerge from this judgement - she was failed all the way to the top.'

 

£477,000 for prison whistleblower 03:20am 6th July 2005 Daily Mail A female prison officer who blew the whistle on a colleague at a high security jail - including claims of an attempt to plant pornography in a sex offender's cell - has been granted nearly half a million pounds in compensation, her lawyers said.  Carol Lingard's solicitors believe the compensation award for her constructive dismissal is one of the largest ever in a whistle-blowing case and is the highest in a public sector claim.  Mrs Lingard, 36, complained about events at Wakefield Prison and said one colleague made a Hitler salute at a meeting involving an Austrian prisoner. She later resigned, claiming that her allegations had not been properly investigated and took her case for constructive dismissal to an employment tribunal, which found in her favour earlier this year.  Now, the Leeds Employment Tribunal has awarded Mrs Lingard £477,600 in compensation to cover her lost income and pension as well as hurt to feelings. The Prison Service is also to pay her legal costs of around £90,000.  Mrs Lingard said: "I received an unreserved apology from the director general Phil Wheatley in April 2005.  "However, I remain deeply disappointed that despite giving the Prison Service many opportunities to take responsibility for their actions during the last three years, I have had to fight a very long and hard case at tribunal and face two tribunal hearings for this to happen.  "I am happy with the award and I am relieved that I can finally begin to put all of this behind me and look to the future."  Her solicitor, John Sturzaker, of law firm Russell Jones & Walker, said: "Mrs Lingard was a respected officer who disclosed information highlighting serious wrong doings on D Wing at HMP Wakefield. Her concerns and complaints were mishandled appallingly and she felt she had to resign her post.  "Mrs Lingard has now been completely vindicated by the tribunal. He added: "The tribunal has emphasised how good her career prospects within the Service were and how much she has lost as the result of the actions of the Prison Service.  "She is delighted with the award and can now begin to get on with the rest of her life. However, while the award is rightly a high one, no amount of money can compensate Mrs Lingard for what she has had to put up with over the last three years and for the loss of a very promising career."

 

Ex-prison officer wins £500,000 in compensation 08 July 2005 Wakefield Today A WHISTLE-BLOWING former prison officer has won nearly £500,000 compensation after being hounded out of her job at Wakefield Prison. Carol Lingard, 37, endured two-and-a-half years of misery after reporting bullying of prisoners at the top-security jail. Leeds Employment Tribunal awarded her £477,600 on Monday after she won a claim for constructive dismissal and victimisation for whistle-blowing in February. The taxpayer will now foot the bill as the Home Office has to pay the compensation and Mrs Lingard’s legal costs of around £90,000. She said: “I remain deeply disappointed that despite giving the prison service many opportunities to take responsibility for its actions during the last three years, I have had to fight a very long and hard case at tribunal for this to happen. “I am happy with the award and I am relieved that I can finally begin to put all of this behind me and look to the future.” It is one of the largest whistle-blowing compensation awards made by a tribunal and is believed to be the highest award in a public sector claim. Mrs Lingard’s solicitor, John Sturzaker, of law firm Russell Jones & Walker, said: “Mrs Lingard was a respected officer who disclosed information highlighting serious wrongdoings on D Wing at HMP Wakefield. Her concerns and complaints were mishandled appallingly and she felt she had to resign her post.” The tribunal’s panel of judges were damning of the prison’s management saying they did not believe evidence provided by senior governor, John Slater. They were seriously concerned at Mr Slater’s support of a prison culture known as ‘the Wakefield way’ – failing to encourage exposure of wrongdoing. Mrs Lingard’s complaints were about prison guard Kieran Ryan who told a sex offender he’d be slashed by other inmates if he was found with images of children. She claimed Mr Ryan attempted to plant that kind of material in the inmate’s cell and he altered the prisoner’s records to say he was badly behaved. Mrs Lingard’s husband, John, who was also an officer at Wakefield, has been unable to return to work since giving evidence at the tribunal. He has accepted a transfer to Lancaster but the prison service has failed to respond to their application for this to happen at the public expense.