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A trainee prison officer was reportedly sacked for “refusing to use incorrect pronouns” when referring to transgender prisoners. David Toshack, a 51-year-old former soldier, claimed he was dismissed with immediate effect and has taken GEOAmey to an employment tribunal.
Christopher Hutton, an instructor at GEOAmey, a British company specialising in prisoner transport for the Ministry of Justice, said at the tribunal in Edinburgh on Monday (February 2) that Mr Toshack was asked to leave a training session on January 7 last year. The 51-year-old allegedly said he would only use sex-based pronouns. He has denied being “hostile” to colleagues over the disagreement.
Speaking about an incident where officers were moving a transgender prisoner who was known to self-harm, Mr Hutton added: “The prison officer had written down ‘he’. The (person in) custody has seen it…and assaulted the officer.”
He continued: “I understand that Mr Toshack has his personal beliefs, but he has to follow the company policy.”
Source: Prison officer sacked for ‘refusing to use trans prisoners’ pronouns’