Transgender Nurse Accused of Intimidating Female Colleagues Amid Legal Dispute

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A transgender nurse has been accused of intimidating female colleagues who launched a sexual harassment case against their employer after being required to share a changing room with her. The allegations were brought to light during a preliminary hearing at Newcastle Employment Tribunal.

 

 

The nurse, known as Rose, was assigned male at birth but now lives as a woman. Despite this, it was noted during the hearing that Rose does not possess a gender recognition certificate, which legally defines her as male under current UK law. Female nurses working for the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust have claimed they felt "intimidated" and "stared at" by Rose following the commencement of their legal action.  

 

Bruno Quintavalle, representing the nurses, argued that Rose had engaged in deliberate and confrontational behavior at the hospital since the legal proceedings began. He stated: “It is the claimants’ position … that far from being reduced to a state of fear and concern about his psychological or physical integrity, Rose has responded to the initiation of proceedings by trying to intimidate the nurses. By engaging in confrontational behavior in the hospital in situations where he would not usually be expected to be. This suggests that far from being in a state of shock, Rose is fully on top of things.”  

 

Bethany Hutchison, president of the Darlington Nurses Union, supported these claims in a witness statement, saying that Rose’s actions had made the nurses feel increasingly uncomfortable. Hutchison noted that Rose, who works as a theatre nurse, had begun frequenting the day surgery ward, where the complainants worked, much more often than before. “Rose’s frequent visits show there is no hostility or intimidation against Rose,” Hutchison stated. “Rather, it is Rose who is apparently seeking to intimidate us with those unnecessary visits.”  

 

Another nurse, Karen Danson, provided a statement detailing her own experiences upon returning to work after a period of medical leave. “Since I returned to work, I have only seen Rose a couple times in the canteen,” Danson said. “On those occasions, Rose is always staring and trying to intimidate us all.”  

 

 

Simon Cheetham KC, representing the NHS trust, sought an order to prevent Rose’s surname from being reported, citing privacy rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and potential risks of harm. Cheetham did not challenge the nurses’ allegations of intimidation during the hearing. However, Mr. Quintavalle opposed the application, arguing that granting anonymity would hinder the claimants’ ability to share their experiences.  

 

Sharon Langridge, the employment judge presiding over the preliminary hearing, has reserved her decision on the application for anonymity. She confirmed that her written ruling would be issued within the next couple of weeks.  

 

The tribunal is set to begin on June 16 and conclude on July 4, during which the claims of sexual discrimination and harassment against the NHS trust will be fully examined.  

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2025-01-22