'Failed to protect me' | Woman 'no longer felt safe' at work after male colleague's harassment

A woman has been awarded almost £19,000 after a sexual harassment incident at a work Christmas party left her feeling ‘physically sick’.

Shirley Lyons claimed a colleague from furniture company Starplan had touched her inappropriately, hugged her from behind without her consent and made comments about her breasts – acts rightly declared as unlawful sexual harassment by an employment tribunal.

Furthermore, Lyons said the firm failed to act when she complained about the incident, which took place in December 2017 in Northern Ireland.

According to the proceedings which were first reported by the BBC NI, 60-year-old Lyons, worked as a designer and sales consultant for the firm at the time of the incident.