Gary Hannant 1959 - 2004
We are sad to announce that one of our members, Gary Hannant, died unexpectedly earlier this year. The cause of Gary’s death was myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism & infarction. His lungs were found full of small clots that could have been prevented by blood thinning drugs. Importantly, the Coroner’s full post mortem report showed there was no underlying disease process. Stress is known to affect health – Gary’s case highlights what continual extreme stress can do.
Gary started an Employment Tribunal claim against the Met Police in November 2003, around the same time as joining the LSG for help and support. Christie, his widow, has taken over this action and is also considering other legal routes for justice. The London Support Group is committed to helping Christie in any way we can. With Christie’s permission, we are sharing his story to raise a greater awareness of how extreme workplace abuse can affect a person. His story has been edited, so as not to prejudice any legal action and we hope in time to bring your the full story.
Gary was born with cerebral palsy in South London in 1959 and walked with callipers until he was over 2. He had a sunny nature that drew people to him - helpful, honest, kind and loyal, and a lot more as well. He was an ardent Charlton supporter and had close ties with the club through his family. Gary treated everyone the same and throughout his life strove not to let his disabilities get in the way of living. He also loved cricket and it was his ambition to go to watch the England team play the Aussies on their home ground. He was also a mean pool and darts player and for many years went ten pin bowling, where his unique unorthodox style, although unconventional, was pretty effective against astonished opponents!
Gary worked at NatWest Bank for 15 very happy years but decided on a career switch. He applied to the Met and was successful but he felt there was a bullying culture. He switched roles to a small team but felt bullied again. He had been with the Met for a couple of years and the effects were starting to show on his health. Although outwardly he was still sunny natured, underneath you could see the hurt, bewilderment and perplexity of what was happening. By 1997, the toll on his health had reached a point where he was suffering blackouts and collapsing. He was diagnosed with bradycardia (slow heart/pulse rate) and had a pacemaker inserted.
He made his first application to the Employment Tribunal to remove himself from that team. He had approached HR several times about transferring but was told he would have to formally ‘apply’ for other jobs, rather than be granted a more simple transfer. He knew his sickness record would be made available through this process and so unfairly, the effects on his health would be held against him even though he was only trying to get out from where he was suffering! At least the Tribunal application enabled a transfer - to work on the Reception desk. There he was in his element, dealing with the public face to face and sorting out problems. He received many commendations and letters of praise from the public and his yearly appraisals reflected how good he was in his job.
In late 2001, a complaint was made and Gary was asked about this, as others were. Gary did not deal with the person concerned on the day in question. Gary was never shown the statement relating to the matter but from what he heard, it could not correlate to him due to his obvious disabilities. He thought no more of it. Then in early 2002, a woman came into the Reception and wished to make a statement. This was all part of a normal day for Gary and showed the lady into an interview room, at her request, to take some further details. She returned to the police station a further two times over the following two days - the first asking again to be seen privately, the second time Gary had already left for the day. According to reports, she was angry that he was not available to deal with her. She returned on a separate occasion later to file a complaint of sexual assault against Gary.
He was suspended and subject to a criminal investigation. This was dropped due to a complete lack of evidence - not one piece of fibre, DNA or anything that supported her claim. Gary was naturally relieved and looked forward to returning to the job he loved. After 3 months he was finally sent a bundle of papers that stated that although the criminal investigation may have been void, there would still be a disciplinary hearing. Criminal investigations work on the basis of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ but employment law works on the ‘balance of probabilities’. As a disabled person, the description of the attack was beyond him physically.
He remained suspended for almost a year and then 3 days before Christmas he was told that a disciplinary hearing was arranged for 8 January 2003. This left no time to contact witnesses or put his case together over the Christmas period. He then realised that his cardiac pacemaker may be the critical piece of evidence to disprove the allegation. He contacted the cardiac team who kindly provided a copy of his pacemaker reading for the day of the alleged assault. Heart rate increases with sexual excitement and a pacemaker cannot lie – Gary’s reading was perfectly normal. He sent this in and the day before the disciplinary meeting, it was cancelled. His hopes rose that he had finally dispelled any ‘balance of probability’.
The length of Gary’s suspension directly contradicted the staff handbook and he had faced only silence or stonewalling in that year from his employer. He received a further letter with very little notice that a disciplinary hearing date had been set for 6 March 2003, exactly the date he had been suspended the previous year. Outwardly Gary’s appearance had begun to change, he was losing weight and picking up coughs and colds too easily. Those adverts of ill-treated animals looking pitiful is how Gary appeared. He sent in a sick certificate and the second disciplinary hearing was cancelled - he remained on sick from that time onwards. A third disciplinary meeting was convened for August 2003 and despite still being sick and his companion for the meeting unavailable, his request for an adjournment was ignored. The meeting went ahead without Gary and recommended his dismissal. He launched his second ET in November 2003 for Unfair Dismissal.
Despite not being well, Gary didn’t wish to be a burden and applied for other jobs. He found it unusually hard to get interviews, even for those jobs that paid barely the minimum wage. He was eventually successful and offered a job, however this was retracted on receipt of a reference from his ex-employer. Receiving a copy of this reference was devastating - not content with dismissing him, they appeared intent on destroying his future too.
Towards the end of June 2004, Gary was admitted to hospital via A&E as he was barely able to breathe and was vomiting. On the 9th day of his stay, Christie arrived and was told that Gary had been sleeping all day. His hospital TV/phone card had run out and they walked together to get a new one. Without the right change, Gary returned to the ward to get some and was struggling to breathe. Gary got on to his bed and reached for the buzzer but no one was answering. Christie set off to find someone and as she returned with the nurse, Gary collapsed on the floor. Doctors and nurses came running, oxygen was applied and the Crash Cart called. Christie was ushered to the day room and was later told he had died. All the stress and trauma of the previous 2 years had finally come to an end.
Christie is continuing Gary’s tribunal action as his next of kin, she feels she owes it to Gary and his memory – that lovely sunny lad she loved, whose only crime was to want to help people.
We
will help Christie to fight on in your memory
Rest in peace Gary, from your friends at the LSG
Latest News! Christie won the Employment Tribunal for Unfair Dismissal on behalf of Gary in 2005. She is now taking civil proceedings for damages for his loss of life. The LSG wish her continued success.
