'False remarks' | Colleague mocked lecturer's disabilities and fabricated racism allegation, tribunal told

A college psychology lecturer has secured a £177,000 tribunal award after an employment tribunal found a colleague mocked her disabilities and fabricated a claim that she had made racist remarks about a student, triggering a complaint and rumours that she was “a racist”.

Dr Turton worked for Mid Kent College from August 2014 until August 2022, when she took voluntary redundancy. The tribunal recorded that she has Autism Spectrum Disorder, severe PTSD and ADHD.

‘Mental problems’ gesture and fabricated ‘gypsy’ claim

The tribunal upheld three complaints of disability-related harassment, including a finding that in late 2021 a colleague, Ms Woodman, mocked Dr Turton’s disabilities by tapping her head to indicate Dr Turton had “mental problems”.

It concluded the conduct was not benign workplace banter, saying: “We considered that tapping ones head whilst referring to someone’s memory problems was pointed and a reference to Dr Turton’s mental health.”