Woman 'gagged and taped to chair by male colleagues after complaining about racism and sexism at Scottish government agency'

A woman who complained of racism and misogyny at a Scottish government agency claims she was taped to a chair and gagged as a warning against speaking out.

DeeAnn Fitzpatrick, a fisheries officer, said the incident happened amid years of bullying at Marine Scotland, the watchdog for the country’s fisheries industry.

The photo, allegedly taken by one of the two men accused of being responsible, was obtained by the BBC.

Ms Fitzpatrick, 49, said she was restrained by male colleagues in 2010 after raising concerns about a threatening and misogynistic culture at the watchdog’s office in Scrabster, Caithness.

The Canadian national told the tribunal one of the men said: “This is what you get when you speak out against the boys.”

When Ms Fitzpatrick attempted to report it, she was told by her manager the two men “meant no harm” and that it was “boys just being boys”, according to emails seen by the corporation.

Rhoda Grant, a Labour MSP for the Highlands, said the incident was “horrific” and seeing the photo made it seem 10 times worse”.

“She’s been subject to a long period of harassment, horrendous behaviour towards her,” Ms Grant said.

“In some of my dealings with DeeAnn it’s very clear that there is a culture in that office that people can get away with what they say and what they do. It seems to me that it’s out of control.”

Ms Fitzpatrick claimed over a period of almost a decade she was mocked for having a miscarriage, told some staff did not want a “foreign woman” working with them, subjected to racism, and witnessed threatening behaviour towards female staff, who were sometimes called prostitutes.

One of the men who allegedly taped Ms Fitzpatrick to the chair, who has since left the agency, told the BBC: “These are false allegations. I can’t remember the event you mention, but if it did happen, it would have been office banter. Just a craic. Certainly nothing to do with abuse.”

The tribunal is unable to consider the incident as it happened more than three years before the case was brought.

Ms Fitzpatrick has been signed off work since 2016 following the abrupt death of her father.

It is unclear whether her alleged abusers ever faced disciplinary action, but Ms Fitzpatrick herself is facing a hearing from her employers at the end of May, over accusations she was rude to clients and “overzealous” in her job.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The Scottish government has clear standards of behaviour which apply to all staff. Any concerns raised by staff are taken seriously and investigated fully.”