HMRC payout for hanged taxman's family
HM Revenue & Customs ordered to pay thousands over death of hanged tax worker
The family of a deaf tax worker who hanged himself while facing disciplinary
action has been awarded £15,000 in damages from HM Revenue & Customs.
An employment tribunal ruled in June that Nigel Osborn-Clarke had been
discriminated against. Osborn-Clarke, 37, from Bristol, had been summoned to see
a manager over an alleged incident of computer misuse.
The tribunal had heard that he was ‘deeply affected’ by the disciplinary
proceedings against him.
HMRC were ordered to pay £15,000 plus interest, estimated to take the total
to £16,500.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union,
which supported the case, said: ‘If it wasn’t for the courage and persistence of
Nigel’s family and colleagues, then a just outcome for Nigel wouldn’t have been
secured.
‘Both locally and nationally, PCS have been appalled by the events
surrounding Nigel’s death and hope that today will in part bring a degree of
closure to such a set of tragic events for the family, friends and colleagues of
Nigel.’