Police appeal anti-Catholic claim

The PSNI is to appeal after being told to pay nearly £45,000 to a photographer who suffered a catalogue of discrimination for marrying a Catholic.

Police photographer Stephen Murphy was told his wife was a "whore" and his decision to marry her meant he could not be trusted.

The PSNI said the Fair Employment case was not defended because they were unaware it was taking place.

The tribunal heard that Mr Murphy was warned his life was in danger.

Two senior officers were said to have tried to make his life "as difficult as possible" and to force him to leave.

The Fair Employment Tribunal ruled that Mr Murphy should be re-engaged in the PSNI by 16 July 2007.

Mr Murphy, a Protestant, had worked for two years for the RUC in the 1980s and became a civilian photographer in 1998.

The tribunal heard two officers, known only as Inspector F and Acting Sergeant K, worked to make life difficult as he was a Presbyterian and was engaged to a Catholic woman.

He was given unfavourable hours and subjected to a poor annual review.

'Whore'

Remarks were made by other officers that his fiancee was a "whore" in the presence of an acting sergeant, the tribunal was told.

Later, the tribunal heard that police told his new wife he was a "lunatic" and warned his father-in-law he was a danger.

The tribunal also heard that a wedding present, sent by the state pathologist, Professor Jack Crane, to Mr Murphy at Knocknagoney police station was never received.

Mr Murphy suffered panic attacks and was unable to sleep as a result of the treatment. He had to take sick leave. During that time, it was reported that a court exhibit prepared by him was removed and dumped in a bin.

He said he believed this was done deliberately to discredit him further.

When he was deemed fit to return to work, he was not reinstated immediately. His sick payments had run out, his wife was pregnant and he had to take work as a hospital photographer.

Dismissal

The tribunal heard that he was then dismissed, without a proper disciplinary hearing, for working while on sick leave.

When he appealed to the Policing Board, they found his dismissal had been too harsh. However, he was not reinstated.

In its ruling, the tribunal said: "The reason why the treatment was afforded to the claimant is clear. It was because he was engaged to and subsequently married a Catholic.

"The decision was made to attempt to force the claimant out of the police, or at least from Knocknagoney police station. On foot of that decision, steps were taken over a number of years to bring that about."

The PSNI were not in attendance nor were they represented at the fair employment tribunal.

A police spokesperson said: "We do not discuss individual cases. It should be pointed out the PSNI solicitor has written to the Fair Employment Tribunal.

"The PSNI did not receive notice of this claim and therefore did not defend the claim as it was unaware of its progress in the tribunal system and the hearing taking place.

"On that basis we are asking for a review of that decision."