Convicted child abuser Morag Jordan was the subject of at least two harassment complaints while working with Angus Council, The Courier can reveal.
Earlier this month, Mrs Jordan and her husband, Anthony, both 62, from Kirriemuir were jailed for a string of physical assaults against vulnerable youngsters at Jersey’s Haut de la Garenne home where they worked as house parents in the 1970s and 80s.
The pair were found guilty of eight separate charges following a two-week trial at the Royal Court of Jersey in which they were accused of inflicting “casual and routine violence” against children in the home.
Mrs Jordan, originally from Dundee, was jailed for nine months and her taxi-driver husband received a six-month prison term.
The Jordans initially faced a lengthy list of charges but Mrs Jordan was acquitted by the jury of a further 28 counts of assault and Mr Jordan of four.
It has now emerged that Mrs Jordan was the subject of harassment allegations in 2006 and 2007, made by a former colleague in Angus Council social work and health department’s community meals service.
Neither of the complaints resulted in any form of formal disciplinary action against Mrs Jordan.
A source close to the investigations has now criticised the local authority for its handling of the matters, suggesting that witnesses were not properly interviewed in connection with the complaint and accusing the council of playing down the matter to avoid negative attention in the wake of the Jersey probe.ComplaintsThe first formal complaint of harassment against Mrs Jordan was raised in November 2006, and was followed up by another request for a formal investigation following complaints by the same colleague just over a year later.
It is understood Mrs Jordan was moved to another role in the community meals service for a period, but was not formally disciplined.
The source said, “Colleagues told me that Mrs Jordan told them she was given ‘a slap on the wrist’.
“If that is the case it raises very serious questions about the conduct of social work and health management.
“One of the matters took more than 18 months to conclude when it should have been dealt with under the council’s harassment at work policy within four weeks.”
The source added, “I think that the council were going out of their way to make sure they didn’t do anything that would bring her to the fore and put the council in a bad light.”
The Courier has also seen witness statements in the case in which another colleague said they felt “intimidated” by Mrs Jordan.
The statements were offered in support of the alleged victim of Mrs Jordan’s conduct and said she had “consistently tried to discredit” her colleague.
“I know I was not the only person approached by Mrs Jordan in the workplace concerning her dislike of (her colleague) and I know her behaviour disturbed them as much as it did me,” added the statement.
Angus Council has declined to confirm whether Mrs Jordan was the subject of any complaint during her time with the authority, and the circumstances of her departure.
A spokesperson for Angus Council said, “We don’t discuss individual matters relating to current or former members of staff, or their reasons for leaving council employment.”