Trent College Fails to Comply with Court Directive in Fired Chaplain Case
Legal counsel for Trent College has failed to comply with directive of the East Midlands Employment Tribunal in regard to the case of fired Chaplain, The Revd Dr Bernard Randall. Judge Heap has cited Irwin Mitchell LLP as having not exchanged witness statements “seven months after they were due” without “good reason”.
Trent College has been taken to court by Dr Randall alleging “discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and unfair dismissal”.
Dr Randall’s legal counsel had originally petitioned the court to hear all the points of the case at one time. That initial request was denied but Judge Heap has now decided to hear all the elements in the case but postponed the hearing until September 2022. The hearing had been scheduled to commence on 14 June 2021.
In a statement released by his legal team, Dr Randall commented:
“I am extremely disappointed that Trent College and its lawyers has failed actively to engage with the legal process, resulting in a very long delay to the case being heard. This case is about the proper limits of free speech and ideological activism in school, and it would benefit our whole society to have some clarity on these important matters.
“I regret that a shadow remains over the school and its leadership, which will be detrimental to pupils and teaching staff. I am sure everyone would like to move on from this, bu the process of healing cannot start until then.”
The Christian Legal Centre’s Chief Executive, Andrea Williams said:
“It is often said, that justice delayed is justice denied. For over seven months Christian Legal Centre lawyers have been ready for this 1-day hearing but the school and its lawyers has simply refused to comply with the tribunal’s orders.
“As the judge has said, repeatedly, no valid reason has been given for the delay or for the failure to properly engage.
“That said, we are pleased that he Judge has seen through the delay tactic and ruled that the Revd Dr Randall’s full claim against Trent College must be heard altogether. Too much is at stake in this extraordinarily and deeply disturbing case for Christian freedoms for it not to be”.
