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Bully beefeater was 'stitched up'
Peter Dominiczak26.11.09
The family of a Beefeater sacked for bullying a woman colleague today claimed he had been "stitched up".
Former Grenadier Guardsman Mark Sanders-Crook, 44, was one of two Beefeaters dismissed for an alleged campaign of bullying against Moira Cameron, 44, the first woman Beefeater in the Tower's 1,000-year history.
Tower authorities launched an internal inquiry last month after Ms Cameron allegedly had her Wikipedia entry tampered with, her uniform defaced and abusive notes left in her locker. A second Beefeater, Bob Brown, 57, was dismissed but the case against a third was not proven.
Mr Sanders-Crook was the first Beefeater in the Tower's history to follow in the footsteps of his father, who worked there from 1983 to 2000, when he was sworn in in 2005. His mother Maureen said: "He spent 22 years in the Army and he was the most decorated soldier at the Tower.
"He has been charged with not talking to Moira outside working hours. How is that harassment? He has been absolutely stitched up." She said her son was now "homeless" after losing his grace-and-favour home in the Tower: "He has a wife and two children. What Moira's done by complaining will affect all of them. To put a single woman in that community was wrong.
"The whole thing could have been avoided if someone senior had told him and Moira to talk things through."
The two sacked Beefeaters have the right to lodge an appeal within a week. The third will return to work shortly. The Tower of London said today: "We expect our staff to demonstrate our commitment to diversity and maintaining a supportive working environment."
Miss Cameron, who is said to have lost her hair through stress-related alopecia, is continuing to work at the Tower. She declined to comment.
Reader views (24)
Surely now the Ravens will fly the coop! Wait....are they Ravens, Crows or Blackbirds?
Boo-Hoo..Not to speak to some, what a Crime.
- Sunny, USA
Brian in Wiltshire, you have absolutely hit the nail on the head. I too work for an organisation where being white, male and English puts you at a distinct disadvantage. In fact you are almost made to feel guilty at being all 3 of the above.
- Clive, North London
How sweet - twenty years in the Guards and his mum speaks up for him.
You don't have to like everyone you work with but you do have the obligation decently. Whining that he lost his accommodation makes him appear pathetic.
There is no divine right to say what you like to people and imagine there is no consequence. This man was an idiot who decided he would pick on someone, assuming he was backed up by everyone else. It clearly comes as a big shock to him that they disagreed.
He's told his mum he didn't do it like every other small boy caught being nasty.
- Kate, London
For centuries there were no problems at the Tower. Now within months of the first pc diktat installing a female in a male domain we have scandal and complaints flying left right and centre. Pc gone mad.
- H Morgan, London
- James Hennessy, Manchester England
It was me who started the mum with her rolling pin thing no Frank.
- Dc, London
This is wholly disproportionate punishment, unless the fellow had been warned beforehand. Do they have a Grievance Procedure at the Tower? Is there a trade union? I am not an expert but I think no other employer would get away with flouting the general law of the land like this. I think his fellow beefeaters ought to strike until he is re-instated, but no doubt they won't.
- Sue Rochester, London
Grim Reaper, Hell - Please read the comment I was responding to. I did not come up with the term "diversity happy" hence it is in quotations and as for your cheeky proposition, Im afraid I'd have to decline. As for getting a life, I have one thanks, by your name and location, it looks like you've already wasted yours.
- Nat, London
Frank, Home Counties ---- I have no idea what was going on in their work place.
Exactly, but it doesn't stop you bringing the topic down to your usual level, ie, wives and rolling pins. Well done 'Frank, no one could accuse you of trying to up your standards.
- James Hennessy, Manchester England
White, English, Male, you are the bottom of the pile mate, do not expect any sympathy from anyone, just for bieng the above will make you guilty in this perverse, unjust world we live in.
- Brian, Wiltshire
"The whole thing could have been avoided if someone senior had told him and Moira to talk things through."
Maybe his muummy could have gave him a lecture on life,
and then ran his bath and cooked his supper!
- Reg, Southend
I am amazed the 'Beefeaters' haven't yet been replaced by 'Vegeaters' in this great Politically Correct, happy clappy, equal opportunities, culturally diverse, world of 'Harriet Harmany'!
- David Moon, East Sussex, UK
@ Dc, London
Never under estimate a house wife and her rolling pin!
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Imagine if a man was introduced into an all-women group. After a while, the man complains to his boss that two women from that group wouldn't talk to him outside working hours. Would those two women have been sacked and had their families made homeless?
- Kate, London
as usual, stitched up is an euphemism for guilty with no other avenue for shifting the blame.
there is precisely 0 evidence that his bullying only amounts not to speaking to her out of hours. none.
all we know is that bloke has been found guilty of harassing someone, and his mother says it was only this.
give me a break.
- Scotty, London
Maybe he should of thought about the consequences before bullying. Also P Staker, Londonistan, the reason why it does not work is because of chauvanistic men like you and what is wrong with "diversity happy" anyway? Do you still expect a womans place is at home washing your underpants?
- Nat, London
"Diversity happy" oh pppppplease get a life. And you can clean my underpants anytime even whilst I wearing them !
- Grim Reaper, Hell
I have no idea what was going on in their work place, but being charged with not talking to someone outside working hours? Where in Law is it stated that this is a crime???
- Frank, Home Counties, England
It doesn't, not unless you believe his mum. Just as well he's gone, if Tower was invaded he would have his old dear out with her rolling pin to fight his battle for him.
- Dc, London
Maybe he should of thought about the consequences before bullying. Also P Staker, Londonistan, the reason why it does not work is because of chauvanistic men like you and what is wrong with "diversity happy" anyway? Do you still expect a womans place is at home washing your underpants?
- Nat, London
And she is not suing for millions and millions! She`s slipping, must be poorly advised. Needs to get advice about that from one of her banker or barrister "sisters". Bet she runs her story in some Sunday newspaper though. She did serve in the military for 22 years didn`t she? Obviously never came into connect with squaddies or the Regimental Sergeant Major! Harriets probably sent her a note though.
- Brian G, Norfolk Gorleston
I wish I had known when I was working that not being talked to was actionable. I would have made a fortune.
- Fred, Horsham
Poor bloke never stood a chance in todays "diversity happy" culture.
They needed a scapegoat and got one, another ticked box for the diversity brigade, hoorah.
As for not talking to her out of work, since when was that a crime?
Why do peoiple keep trying to force women into an entirely male workforce, and expect everything to be fine.
IT DOES NOT WORK
- P Staker, Londonistan.
So what if her Wikipedia entry was tampered with. That is the beauty and one big weakness of Wikipedia, anyone can say anything. It's the fact that most people get it right most of the time that makes Wikipedia (sort of) work.
- Steve, London
HMM And that should make her life a bit easier?
- Steve, Brentford
well boo hoo to mr sanders smith the bully boy has lost his family free accommodation courtesy of the tax payer get down the the council and the job centre like the all the rest and join the queue like everyone else who leaves the army is homeless
- Ex Squadie, london
I have no idea what was going on in their work place, but being charged with not talking to someone outside working hours? Where in Law is it stated that this is a crime???
Is this an obscure and perverse Harman Law that has been brought in sometime when no one was looking?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
