Soldier wins harassment case

The tribunal found the soldier had been a victim of 'sectarian harassment'

A west Belfast man who joined the Royal Irish Regiment was the victim of a campaign of sectarian harassment, an employment tribunal has ruled.

Private Patrick Murphy, 33, told the tribunal the abuse got so bad, he tried to kill himself.

Responding to the ruling, the Equality Commission said the Ministry of Defence must enforce its equal opportunity policy.

Mr Murphy's solicitor, Tom Campbell, said the former soldier had endured a "terrible campaign of harassment and intimidation".

"He initially applied to join the RIR and to try and disguise his background, the fact that he was a Catholic from west Belfast, he changed his Christian name and his religion," he said.

"From an Army point of view that was important so that his dog tags would have reflected the fact that he was a Protestant which was not in fact the case," he said.

His wife came home unexpectedly early to discover him in the car with a hosepipe attached to the car Tom Campbell Soldier's solicitor

"When he arrived at Portadown barracks he was told by a sergeant: 'I know that your name is not what you say it is and that you're a Fenian'.

"He had bottles thrown at his home, his family were subject to intimidation and when he made a complaint, a seargant said to him: 'If I find out you're lying, I'll put you in jail.'"

Mr Campbell said the campaign against Mr Kelly became so bad he tried to take his own life.

"It was a very serious attempt to commit suicide.

"His wife came home unexpectedly early to discover him in the car with a hosepipe attached to the car.

"It was put to Mr Murphy during cross examination by counsel for the MoD that this was not in fact attempted suicide, it was a fake attempt at suicide which is a fairly bizarre and a very unpleasant thing to say to anyone in circumstances such as these.

"It was said to him that he really wanted out of the Army, there was no sectarian harassment and this was simply another device by a lying man to get out."

Mr Campell also said the tribunal criticised the management of the MoD in charge of the case and referred to "the total failure of his superiors both in Portadown and in the equal opportunities team to take steps to deal with the situation".

There will be a further hearing in the next few months to determine the level of compensation Mr Murphy will receive.

A spokesperson for the MoD said the Army was currently considering the findings which would be carefully studied.

He also stressed that the MoD was an equal opportunities employer and would not tolerate any form of sectarian abuse or harassment.