OMEN
01-29-2009, 09:43 PM
A woman spied on by a leisure centre assistant manager as she dressed has said the ordeal changed her life.
Martin Carlin, who worked at Templemore Sports Complex, was convicted of voyeurism and sacked.
At a tribunal on Wednesday, Derry City Council apologised to Rita McGlinchey and awarded her £50,000 compensation.
Mrs McGlinchey said she was not the person she was two years ago: "I felt totally violated, I felt any dignity I had, this man had taken it away."
Martin Carlin was sentenced to two years probation and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years in 2007.
Mrs McGlinchey said the incident had changed her life completely.
"Every day going into work, I had to be this nice bubbly person, and there were days when I could have come out of work and just gone to bed and closed the door and not got up again until the next day," she said.
"The stress it puts on your own life and your marriage, and the stress it puts on your children, it's terrible."
Fergal Logan, whose firm represented Mrs McGlinchey, commended her bravery and said she felt compelled to take the case because suspicions had fallen on Mr Carlin before he was caught.
"We certainly had the benefit of a client with strong resolve, who felt that she had been degraded and ill-treated.
"Then matters arose within the workplace, and I think it is fair to say that even before the actual day of this event there were suspicions and issues which would have required a reasonable employer to intervene and take appropriate steps," he said.
A spokesperson from Derry City Council apologised unreservedly for not acting quickly enough to protect Mrs McGlinchey.
BBC
Martin Carlin, who worked at Templemore Sports Complex, was convicted of voyeurism and sacked.
At a tribunal on Wednesday, Derry City Council apologised to Rita McGlinchey and awarded her £50,000 compensation.
Mrs McGlinchey said she was not the person she was two years ago: "I felt totally violated, I felt any dignity I had, this man had taken it away."
Martin Carlin was sentenced to two years probation and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years in 2007.
Mrs McGlinchey said the incident had changed her life completely.
"Every day going into work, I had to be this nice bubbly person, and there were days when I could have come out of work and just gone to bed and closed the door and not got up again until the next day," she said.
"The stress it puts on your own life and your marriage, and the stress it puts on your children, it's terrible."
Fergal Logan, whose firm represented Mrs McGlinchey, commended her bravery and said she felt compelled to take the case because suspicions had fallen on Mr Carlin before he was caught.
"We certainly had the benefit of a client with strong resolve, who felt that she had been degraded and ill-treated.
"Then matters arose within the workplace, and I think it is fair to say that even before the actual day of this event there were suspicions and issues which would have required a reasonable employer to intervene and take appropriate steps," he said.
A spokesperson from Derry City Council apologised unreservedly for not acting quickly enough to protect Mrs McGlinchey.
BBC