We all remember school days when one child told the teacher about some wrongdoing and was labelled a ‘grass’ or a ’snitch’ by their classmates; juvenile, cruel and a little ridiculous, but then we can always excuse such behaviour in children. The same behaviour is, however, inexcusable in adults, especially when it is directed at someone who has stood up for a just cause and is receiving horrible treatment as a direct result of their bravery.

This was the case in a recent Wakefield prison tribunal, when a prison officer offered evidence at a disciplinary hearing against a former colleague and subsequently became the target of much abuse for the violation of a secret ‘code’ that apparently the officers all work and live by.

She began to receive despicable treatment at the hands of her fellow workers, including a wreath being sent to her house, grass cuttings being sent to her by mail and she even saw her young son spat on by a colleague after she gave evidence at the tribunal.

After contacting a Wakefield employment solicitor for legal advice as to what to do about the situation, she began mounting a case against her employers and the colleagues that were abusing her.

The outcome of the trial saw the prison officer awarded 500,000 for her damages, a landmark figure in such ‘whistle-blowing’ cases, which will go along way in helping her to recover from such ill-treatment. The court also decreed that external agencies should now take measures to intervene to protect such workers who step up and speak out against injustice in the workplace.

Wrongdoing can occur in any line of work and while this is obviously an extreme example of whistle-blowing, as a prison is a volatile environment at the best of times, all it takes is for people to sit by and do nothing for such ill treatment to prevail. You must not suffer in silence, or even allow others to suffer while you sit by, as it takes a brave worker to speak out about a fellow colleague, even if the colleague in question is totally in the wrong.

If you feel uncomfortable at work and there is a certain issue that is making you feel unhappy in your position, or if there are any other employment issues that you would like to discuss then you should contact a Wakefield employment solicitor today to see if you can find a solution to your problems.