A PSNI civilian photographer who was sacked from his job suffered religious discrimination from two senior officers because he was engaged to and later married a Catholic, the North's Fair Employment Tribunal has ruled.
The tribunal heard that Stephen Murphy, a Presbyterian living in Ballymena who married a Catholic woman from south Armagh, was subjected to severe religious intimidation by two mid-ranking police officers determined to force him from his post at Knocknagoney police station in east Belfast.
His fiancee was described by an acting PSNI sergeant as a "whore" and "that Catholic bitch" while it was also alleged that some police officers handed over details about Mr Murphy to paramilitaries who threatened his life.
The tribunal awarded Mr Murphy £44,723 - £20,000 for "injury to feelings", the remainder for loss of earnings - and ordered that he be reinstated in his job by next Monday. Mr Murphy was supported in his claim by two DUP North Antrim Assembly members, junior Minister Ian Paisley jnr and Mervyn Storey.
The tribunal heard that Mr Murphy suffered a catalogue of discrimination that sprang from the acting sergeant, described as acting sergeant K, and a PSNI inspector, described as inspector F, deciding that he should be hounded from the force.
Initially, in early 2001, he found that he was moved from normal duties, that he was given a poor appraisal and that generally his working life was made increasingly difficult.
Mr Murphy was warned by a police officer in the station that he was present at a discussion where the inspector said to the acting sergeant "that they had to make life as difficult as possible for the claimant and to get him out of the organisation or to get him to resign as he was intending to marry a Catholic".
The PSNI did not defend the case and was not represented at the tribunal, which found that Mr Murphy was a "credible witness".
The Irish Times sought a response yesterday from the PSNI, particularly as to whether the acting sergeant and inspector had been disciplined. A spokesman said the PSNI did not discuss individual cases but it was seeking a review of the tribunal decision because it was not aware of the tribunal case.
"It should be pointed out that the police service's solicitors have written to the industrial tribunal outlining that it did not receive notice of this claim, and therefore did not defend the claim," he added.
The tribunal also reported that aside from the derogatory comments about Mr Murphy's wife other bigoted remarks were made by staff members, including queries as to why he was dating someone from south Armagh, and how could he be trusted by his colleagues.
Mr Murphy joined the RUC as a civilian photographer in 1998 and remained in that post when in November 2001 it became the PSNI. It was in 2001 that his difficulties became manifest, according to the tribunal, which was when he became engaged.
Police also told his wife, whom he married in November 2001, that he was a "lunatic". They also told her father that he was a danger to her daughter.
In early December 2001 Mr Murphy and his new wife were warned by special branch that Mr Murphy's life was "under an immediate and imminent threat" from paramilitaries. He was later told this information might have been leaked from Knocknagoney PSNI station.
Eventually, Mr Murphy was forced to take sick leave because of general illness, including panic attacks. He was formally dismissed, without a proper disciplinary hearing.
