Woman sacked 'for not believing in God'

Karen Deighton has launched a legal fight after claiming that she was victimised and bullied by colleagues at Colne Open Door Centre because she admitted her scepticism over God's existence.

But the centre has claimed that the problems arose because she refused to do what her boss told her.

Mrs Deighton, of Ellesmere Avenue, Colne, has taken management to an industrial tribunal claiming religious discrimination and harassment.

The tribunal heard that Mrs Deighton claimed that there was no mention of the centre's Christian ethos when she agreed to join the organisation in August 2005.

But she says she was constantly "preached" at about not understanding the Christian work of the centre.

Mrs Deighton was dismissed from her post in the summer of 2006. She has also accused the centre of breach of contract and dismissing her for making public interest disclosures about health and safety and funding matters.

Mrs Deighton told the tribunal in Manchester: "Mark Clegg (a trustee) told me that I was like one of the men who passed by on the other side, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, because I did not help my local community".

The tribunal heard that she had also been bullied because she had raised a number of alleged financial irregularities and concerns over employment abuses and health and safety matters.

Mrs Deighton had accused the centre's managers of submitting fraudulent claims for Single Renewal Budget funding, the hearing was told.

She also said that manager Brian Holmes used the centre's phones to make international calls to friends in France, Canada and around the world.

Mrs Deighton said she was also victimised after she queried how a missing £600 in petty cash had been written off by the centre's management.

And she said that there was a culture of mismanagement and nepotism at the centre.

Colne Open Door Centre was founded by Colne Churches Together Group around nine years ago and offers support to the homeless, drug addicts and other socially disadvantaged groups, such as a cafe and advice services.

The centre employs a handful of people, including a centre manager, community development manager, kitchen manager, finance officer and cleaner.

Support for the centre has come as a result of funding from the European Regional Development Fund, Single Regeneration Budget and other charitable and trust fund grants.

Both Mr Holmes and his wife Stella were employed in management capacities and the husband was directly able to influence wage rises for his wife, Mrs Deighton claimed.

Mrs Deighton also said that they employed their daughter's partner Andrew Burnett as a kitchen assistant even though he was "clearly unsuitable" for the job.

The tribunal was told that Mrs Deighton had witnessed Mr Burnett bullying volunteers at the centre who had learning difficulties.

He was later suspended over an unrelated misconduct matter, the tribunal heard.

Mrs Deighton said she was also treated poorly after supporting a colleague, cleaner Trudy Evans, who had been told by management that she must sign a new contract of employment.

When instead Mrs Evans took legal advice Mrs Deighton said that victimisation by management only increased.

"This all led to stress which ended up with me being ill," said Mrs Deighton.

But Ian Newlove, representing Colne Open Door Centre, suggested Mrs Deighton's problems came from reluctance to take direction from Stella Holmes, who was her immediate boss.

The hearing was told that Mrs Deighton had questioned Mrs Holmes' appointment by her husband, which had led to difficulties between the pair.

Mr Newlove said that the bullying alleged by Mrs Deighton was merely her asking, as a manager, for jobs to be carried out in a particular manner.

He also told the tribunal that centre managers were aware of Mrs Deighton's lack of Christian faith when they appointed her.

Mrs Deighton insisted that whenever she questioned any irregularities in the centre's affairs, the organisation's Christian background' was a stock answer'.