A female police officer was subjected to disability harassment when her sergeant told her that her ADHD meetings were 'a load of nonsense', a tribunal has found. PC Talitha Henderson, 52, faced 'dismissive and sarcastic comments' about her condition from her boss at Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Sergeant James Beirne.
Background of the Case
PC Henderson, who also serves as an expert police driving instructor, required special meetings regarding her ADHD to be scheduled during her shifts. She explained that these sessions helped her manage her role effectively. However, Sergeant Beirne allegedly told her she should be 'getting on with real police work' instead.
After resigning from the force due to the treatment she received, Henderson sued GMP and has since established her own driving school. The Manchester Employment Tribunal ruled that Sergeant Beirne's comments amounted to disability harassment.
Tribunal Findings
Despite this finding, Henderson's case was dismissed because she failed to bring her claims within the statutory time limit. The tribunal also determined that she suffered disability discrimination and detriment for whistleblowing, but those claims were similarly thrown out due to the missed deadline. Had she submitted her complaints on time, she would have been entitled to compensation.
Employment Judge Hilary Slater stated: 'We found that Sergeant Beirne did make dismissive and sarcastic comments about the meetings as alleged. We conclude that the comments constituted unwanted conduct. They explicitly referenced behaviours related to ADHD and expressed a dismissive view of the value of the meetings intended to assist the claimant with matters relating to ADHD. The comments had the requisite effect and it was reasonable for them to do so. The comments were dismissive and hurtful.'
Details of Harassment
Henderson, from Oldham, joined GMP as a civilian police driving instructor in March 2019 before becoming a police constable in March 2022. She told the tribunal: 'I have ADHD, which affects my concentration, working memory and ability to process multiple demands simultaneously, particularly in a busy or noisy environment. My ADHD also affects my working memory, meaning I can struggle to recall specific details such as dates, collar numbers, and reference information unless these are written down. I found it challenging to retain and confidently navigate complex police IT systems without consistent, structured guidance.'
In February 2023, a series of meetings were arranged to accommodate her condition. It was agreed they would be held during her shifts, but Sergeant Beirne questioned why they were not taking place on her days off. Henderson recalled him saying: 'What do you talk about anyway how much energy you have? Aren't they a load of nonsense, you just need to write a list and you should be getting on with real police work.'
She had to cancel the first meeting due to internet issues, and three weeks later another was cancelled due to a shift pattern problem. Sergeant Beirne made 'dismissive and sarcastic' remarks about the meetings and failed to accommodate her requests. The tribunal found that cancelling the second meeting violated her dignity or created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. A third meeting was cancelled because Sergeant Beirne instructed her to work on an investigation and arrest a suspect, which was deemed unwanted conduct since Henderson valued the sessions.
Further Incidents and Whistleblowing
In March 2023, Sergeant Beirne made Henderson stay behind to 'think about why it was taking her so long' when she fell behind on work. Henderson said she was 'shocked' and felt 'like she was in school'. The tribunal found that due to her ADHD, the police should have allowed her more time to complete paperwork.
The tribunal also heard that in October 2022, Henderson complained to a sergeant in the Driving School about another sergeant driving excessively fast—almost 90mph in a 30mph zone—when responding to an incident. An inspector told her she should have spoken to them first, which the tribunal found was an attempt to block her from using appropriate whistleblowing channels.
Aftermath
Henderson resigned in November 2023, citing the treatment she received. The tribunal concluded that if she had brought her claims in time, her disability harassment, discrimination, and whistleblowing claims would have been successful. Henderson is now appealing the time limit ruling and has started her own driving instructor business, Tal's Driving School.
Speaking after the case, Henderson said: 'It was just disgraceful behaviour from GMP. I'm quite a strong person so I was not too affected by the comments, but ADHD is so common now and so many people have it that it is not right for police to treat people like that. I was disgusted by their treatment. I've just got no respect for them now, they lied about things and as a police organisation they should have stood up for me. It's a bad organisation. I never once thought 'I'm going to sue the police' and I didn't want to leave, but they gave me no choice.'
