Victimisation alleged

Press, 28 January 1988, Page 14

Victimisation alleged

“Victimisation” of a supervisor of a retail premises because the management wanted to get rid of her after she had won an arbitration case was claimed in the District Court yesterday during a hearing of a charge against the woman of theft of three magazines, valued at $21.05, from the shop’s stock. The woman denied the charge of theft as a servant of the shop, last September 9. She was granted interim suppression of her name. The case, before Judge Bisphan, was adjourned part-heard, to be completed on a date to be fixed. Mr P. G. Rogers appeared for the defendant and Detective Sergeant B. M. Roswell prosecuted. During prosecution evidence the court heard of the system of returns of - unsold magazines from distributors after their shelf life had expired. Covers were ripped from them and sent to the distributor for credit, and the magazines could be disposed of by the retailer, often being given to staff. Evidence was that a youth aged 15, who worked part-time at the shop, had sought to buy a James Hardie 1000 magazine issue about a motor race. The defendant, who was • in charge of the magazine area, ripped the cover from the magazine

and gave the youth the book. A branch retail manager saw the youth with the magazine and was told how he had obtained it. Investigation showed it was a current magazine and when questioned the defendant also said she had taken the covers from two other current magazines, one a “Reader’s Digest” and the other a “National Geographic” magazine. She was then dismissed. The recipient of the “Reader’s Digest” gave evidence and said he had been told by the branch retail manager the next morning that it was a current issue. He said in crossexamination he had been employed by the organisation since 1972 and had known the defendant for eight to 10 years. He said relationships between the defendant and her employers deteriorated after she became a supervisor. There was then an “undercurrent” as they did not want her in this position. She had taken a matter to arbitration and “did them like a dinner,” winning her case. The management appeared to want to give her a bit of hassle in her job. Referring to her dismissal over the three magazines the witness said it was quite a surprise that she was dismissed.