Friday 22 January 1999

Sex-change PC complaints ’out of time’ ruling

An industrial tribunal has ruled that some of the complaints brought by sex-change former Shrewsbury policeman Claire Ashton against West Mercia Constabulary are out of time, and cannot form part of her sex discrimination claim.

The 47-year-old former firearms expert, then Police Constable Tony Ashton,retired from the force on medical grounds at the end of March 1997, after a gender realignment condition was diagnosed.

Miss Ashton, of Uffington , near Shrewsbury, began work the following day as a communications operator at Shrewsbury police station, but lost her civilian job when the force terminated her employment 12 months later.

Miss Ashton, who said she now works as a taxi driver, told a preliminary tribunal hearing at Shrewsbury yesterday: “I was made an offer I could not refuse, I had no choice. As far as I am concerned they reneged on the deal when they dismissed me”.

Miss Susan Belgrave, counsel for Miss Ashton, applied to amend her client’s tribunal application so that complaints made outside the time limit could be included in her sex discrimination case listed for February 22, and expected to last ten days.

She claimed Miss Ashton’s treatment accounted to a continuing process of sex discrimination and cited complaints about her use of the women’s lavatory and unjustified allegations of sexual harassment against other staff.

But tribunal chairman Mr George Dyson said the tribunal’s unanimous decision was that these complaints, and another relating to Miss Ashton’s medical retirement from the force, were outside the time limit.

“And having regard to the factors drawn to our attention it would not be just and equitable to allow them to be presented now,” the chairman said.

Copyright © 1999, The Shropshire Star