Thursday 6th August 1998

Anger of sex change officer

Sacked from job - then defeated by her own union

BY ALAN SIMPSON

A POLICE officer sacked after a sex change lost another battle yesterday - with her own union.

Lynsay Watson wanted the British Transport Police Federation to use her new female name when it prepared an industrial tribunal case against the bosses who dismissed her.

But union officials insisted on addressing her by her former title, Alex Horwood. Watson accused them of “pure obstinacy” and took them to an industrial tribunal.  The 31-year-old from Glenrothes, Fife, claimed she was a victim of sex discrimination and wanted compensation for injury to her feelings and her legal fees paid.

But an industrial tribunal rejected her case on the grounds that she had expected too much from her trade union.

Last night, Watson pledged to appeal against the decision and said she was determined to return to a career in the police.

She said, “I am very disappointed.  I believe the facts have been misinterpreted.”

The British Transport Police had tried to ban Watson from taking hormone drugs as part of her treatment and warned she could be prosecuted if she came to work dressed as a woman.

She was dismissed in December last year after a year’s suspension, and is taking her former employers to a separate tribunal claiming she was unfairly sacked and discriminated against.

Watson started as a police constable at Kirkcaldy, Fife, in 1989, but seven years later she informed management she was undergoing a “gender reassignment operation” and asked to be given a female role, but this was refused.

Bosses told her to resume duty as a “uniform constable wearing the uniform appropriate to your male gender”.  Colleagues allegedly ganged up against Watson and forced her bosses to transfer her to Edinburgh.

After she took on a female appearance and changed her name in November, 1996, she was suspended.  The tribunal heard that BTP Federation chairman Mike Bevan at first agreed to support her legal fight and the first bill was paid.

But support was later withdrawn and Watson claimed there was “a conspiracy” between the federation and police management.

She said she found it quite hurtful she was still being referred to as Alex Horwood in correspondence from the federation almost a year after she changed her name and believed that assistance was refused because of the nature of the case.  Mr Bevan denied collaborating with the police and said Watson was told not to take hormones if they affected her work.

He said he was sympathetic when she approached him and told her he would consider her case.

Mr Bevan also gave her his home address so that she could correspond with him in complete confidence.

The Federation said Watson had failed to complete a form recording the name change and they weren’t informed until later.  Mr Bevan also explained there were limited funds for legal assistance.  The tribunal expressed its sympathy with Watson, but found the federation and Mr Bevan had assisted her and paid some legal expenses.

There are no specific guidelines regarding the issue of serving police officers who wish to change sex.

It is up to the Chief Constable of the force concerned to decide on what action to take.

Scottish Police federation spokesman Doug Kell said: “The matter has not arisen before in my knowledge and we certainly wouldn’t want any legislation brought in.”

Copyright © 1998, Express Newspapers

See also: Lynsay Watson’s own story