Staff in 'unfair sacking' plea over Gary Glitter e-mail

Published on Thursday 9 September 2010 16:13

FOUR social work staff fired for circulating an e-mail with a mock-up picture of Gary Glitter carrying a child in a plastic bag have claimed they were unfairly dismissed.

Deborah Reilly, Angela Nelson, Anne Lang and Rosemary Boyle have raised an action against South Lanarkshire Council, alleging their sacking was "disproportionate".

An employment tribunal in Glasgow heard the image showed paedophile Glitter holding a bag with a superimposed child inside.

Jim Wilson, the head of adult and older people services, fired the women in November 2008.He told the hearing that forwarding the e-mail was "totally inappropriate particularly for someone involved in social care".

Three of the women worked from the Rutherglen office. Ms Boyle was based in Blantyre.

It is expected all four will give evidence when the tribunal resumes later this year.