MP accuses CITB of targeted campaign against employee after alleged sexual abuse

An MP has accused the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) of running a targeted campaign against a former apprentice officer who reported a colleague had sexually assaulted her.

Seamus Logan of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East discussed the matter in Parliament on Thursday (November 21) during a debate on the use of legal threats to silence reporting.

He told the House of Commons that Jan Cruickshank, a married mother of three, reported the alleged assault to the CITB, where she was working at the time, after it allegedly happened in 2015. She subsequently suffered a nervous breakdown and went on sick leave.

Logan also told the House of Commons that the man she complained about was given garden leave for a week before he returned and “began spreading false stories, suggesting Jan was falsely accusing him”.

Logan added: “A senior whistleblower at CITB has revealed that the legal team had indicated there was significant potential liability if Jan’s case went to trial. The whistleblower confirmed that there was a targeted campaign through various media to discredit Jan.

“CITB abused the false narrative to portray Jan as a homewrecker, and subsequently initiated a pre-determined personnel investigation aimed at facilitating her departure from the company. A second whistleblower confirmed that management planned to leave Jan a month before her HR process was completed.”

Logan claimed in the Commons chamber that Cruickshank had taken the training organization to an employment tribunal. But, Logan said, she was pressured to accept a settlement “far below the realistic amount she should have been entitled to” and was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

“She is determined to seek justice so that the alleged attacker is prosecuted and she receives just compensation. This will enable her and her family to move forward,” he added.

“Jan should not have been subjected to an HR investigation or an employment tribunal. Instead, she deserved a leave of absence for recovery and support after the trauma she experienced.”

The SNP representative told MPs he believed the Police Scotland officer who interviewed her about the incident “did not have the required training to handle such a sensitive sexual assault case, resulting in the premature conclusion of the case”.

The MP called on the CITB to issue a public apology to Cruickshank, for police to consider looking into the way her case was handled and for Justice Minister Heidi Alexander to meet him to discuss the matter.

A CITB spokesperson said: “We are aware of the parliamentary debate surrounding this former employee’s historic claim against CITB and appreciate the sensitivity of such an issue. Due to the sensitive nature of the settled claim, CITB has nothing further to add at this time.”