DAY TWO - EVENING UPDATE

A NORTH-EAST radio station was "out of control", at risk of closure and received complaints from listeners, other stations and clients, according to evidence in an employment tribunal.

Dawn Carney, a former commercial director of Star Radio, in Darlington, is claiming unfair dismissal and sexual harassment against the station's parent company UK RD Group.

In a lengthy witness statement made available by the judge, Ms Carney, of Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, says: "I was told that the radio station was, generally, out of control and had received complaints from the public, other stations and clients.

"This had a knock-on effect to the revenue as clients were pulling off air. I was employed to help rebuild the station to prevent it being shut down."

Ms Carney's claims of sexual harassment have been described as "scurrilous" by solicitors for her former employers.

Her statement continued: "Within my first few weeks, [a colleague] played an advert on air about me saying that the managing director had given everyone presents this morning and I was given a pearl necklace.

"I did not understand why this has been said or what this meant until [another colleague] pointed out that this was slang for a sexual act.

"She also informed me that stuff like that happened all the time and that 'you want to hear what happens on air when you leave'.

"In my view, this was entirely inappropriate and a complete misuse of powers by the directors."

Ms Carney's statement includes revelations about the reputation of the radio station among clients.

She added: "At that time the reputation of the radio station was awful. I had to visit a number of clients whom all had little black ducks which they collected from a recent Star Radio Business Awards.

"They said that it was to remind them never do to business with Star Radio ever again.

"Many clients pulled advertising spend off air due to how unprofessional Star were."

 

DAY TWO - EARLIER UPDATE 

A FORMER commercial director of a North-East radio station broke down in tears while telling an employment tribunal how her hair fell out through stress.

On the second day of the hearing in Newcastle, Dawn Carney told the panel she was not taking legal action just because she wanted compensation.

The 37-year-old is claiming unfair dismissal and sexual harassment against her then managing director John Clayton and Darlington-based Star Radio's parent company, UK RD Group.

Miss Carney was asked about her motivation for the legal action while being crossed-examined by Edward Legard, representing the respondents.

Fighting back tears, she said: "This is absolutely not about money whatsoever.

"It's not just about money. My life has completely been affected for the last six months. I have lost my hair. I have been through a stressful time.

"It's because of how I was treated."

Miss Carney earlier told the hearing she was told by her boss, Mr Clayton, he wanted all new recruits to be like her - “to be blonde, have big boobs and blue eyes”.

Miss Carney said that as a result of his remarks she changed her hair colour to brown after leaving Darlington-based Star Radio.

The allegations have been strenuously denied and described as "opportunistic".

The hearing has heard how Star Radio was failing in 2013 after losing advertisers and receiving complaints from listeners.

The hearing continues.

 

DAY ONE

A FORMER commercial director of a North-East radio station was told by her boss he wanted all new recruits to be like her - “to be blonde, have big boobs and blue eyes” - an employment tribunal has heard.

Dawn Carney said that as a result of his remarks she changed her hair colour to brown after leaving Darlington-based Star Radio.

The 37-year-old is claiming unfair dismissal and sexual harassment against her then managing director John Clayton and Star Radio's parent company, UK RD Group.

The allegations have been strenuously denied and described as "opportunistic".

Ms Carney told a hearing in Newcastle that during the two months she worked with Mr Clayton he had made a series of inappropriate or sexually explicit remarks.

She had written a letter of resignation and was on the cusp of handing in when she was “effectively beaten to it” and was dismissed for her performance, the panel heard.

Ms Carney of Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, said she took up her post in July 2013 to improve the station's reputation and win back advertisers who had left after the station was given a warning by regulator Ofcom.

When Mr Clayton took up his job at the station at the end of January 2014, one of the first things he did was to remark that she did not look as good as she did on her Linkedin or Twitter pages, it was alleged.

Ms Carney told the tribunal: “At one point he said he liked seeing me in neck scarves as it reminded him of air hostesses. I did not like these comments. . .

“John would also make other comments that I found upsetting where he would criticise my “tacky dress sense and cheap perfume and neck scarves”. “ She added that after a period of illness, she returned to work on Monday March 31 last year to be told she was “no longer needed as part of the business” and was to leave with immediate effect, because of her performance.

Edward Legard, for the respondents, said Mr Clayton was “professional and courteous” at all times and Ms Carney’s allegations of sexual harassment were “scurrilous" facrications.

He said that no allegations of sexual harassment were put in writing until her lawyer prepared a letter for action in May. He added: “This is a wholly opportunistic claim. It’s a try on.”

The hearing continues.