Academic who pursued professor then blamed him when she lost job fights to appeal tribunal ruling
Middlesex University academic who pursued psychology professor for a relationship then blamed him when she lost her job accusing him of ‘grooming her’ fights to appeal tribunal ruling
- Academic pursued colleague romantically and blamed him when she lost her job
- Ruxandra Anghel claims dismissal by Middlesex University was discrimination
- Claims she faced ’emotional abuse and coercive control’ from Dr David Westley
- Tribunal dismissed it and she is now fighting to appeal after missing deadline
An academic who pursued a senior colleague for a romantic relationship and later blamed him when she lost her university job may have filed an appeal against her dismissal 24 hours too late, a tribunal has heard today.
Psychologist Ruxandra Anghel claimed she was dismissed by Middlesex University after she had a ‘dating relationship’ with psychology professor Dr David Westley.
Ms Anghel claimed she was ‘groomed’, along with other students in the department, by Dr Westley, and is now hoping to appeal an employment tribunal’s ruling that she was not dismissed on grounds of discrimination.
In January last year, a tribunal dismissed her claims that Dr Westley – now the head of the university’s psychology department – had tried to develop a ‘work with benefits’ relationship with her.
She is now fighting to appeal its decision that she was not dismissed on grounds of discrimination after missing the deadline for submitting a document.
Psychologist Ruxandra Anghel claimed she was dismissed by Middlesex University after she had a ‘dating relationship’ with Dr David Westley
Ms Anghel graduated with a first-class degree in Psychology with Counselling from the University and later got a job as an assistant there.
She was made redundant in 2018 – and has since claimed it was because of her relationship with Dr Westley.
Dr Westley, who had recently separated from his wife, kissed Ms Anghel after drinks with colleagues in 2015 and made it clear to her that he did not want a serious relationship with her.
They went out together at least five times, but by October of that year their ‘dating relationship’ was over, with Mr Westley saying he wanted to reconcile with his wife.
But, in 2017 Ms Anghel sent him a message stating: ‘I’m coming over at yours later. Get a nice bottle of wine. There will be no talking. Send me the exact address.’
Dr Westley replied: ‘Sorry – l don’t understand? Possibly a sense of humour failure on my part?’
Ms Anghel responded: ‘I don’t make such jokes. It is not my style. I’m a grown woman. I expressed my desire. I was hoping for a more elegant response.’
Ms Anghel lost her job at the University a year later and went on to represent herself at the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT).
An employment tribunal dismissed Ms Anghel’s claims that Dr David Westley (pictured) – now the head of Middlesex University’s psychology department – had tried to develop a ‘work with benefits’ relationship with her
Judge Simon Auerbauch told Anghel today: ‘An appeal, in order to be able to be considered, has to be properly considered in time.
‘I am told your grounds of claim document had been supplied one day late.’
Having had her application to extend the time limit rejected by the registrar, Judge Auerbauch could decide that the appeal was not supplied in time and the extension is not granted, therefore ending the appeal.
Alternatively, he could grant the time extension, allowing Ms Anghel to be able to proceed with her appeal.
In her submission, Ms Anghel said she experienced ’emotional abuse and coercive control by Dr Westley.
‘He groomed me, as he did with other students, including his former wife who is a former student,’ she claimed.
‘In time I began to notice my own psychological deterioration. I went into depression and I didn’t know who I was anymore.
‘David Westley wanted me to believe there was something wrong with me and this is also what he told others behind my back.’
It was only after studying psychotherapy that Ms Anghel said she realised that she was a victim of Dr Westley’s psychological control.
In her submission, Ms Anghel said she experienced ’emotional abuse and coercive control by Dr Westley. She said: ‘I want to be an example of victims of abuse, we should not be silenced’
Criticising the handling of her claim, she described her previous trial as ‘a trauma.’
‘I felt I was under trial myself. This is how I was made to feel.
‘My dignity was publicly damaged by a system of justice. I do feel responsible for my profession, to not remain silenced and to encourage people to fight their fight.
‘I want to be an example of victims of abuse, we should not be silenced.’
Mr Satinder Gill, representing London’s Middlesex University, told the court that Ms Anghel ‘plainly accepted that it was not a complete set of documents because the Grounds of Claim was missing.
‘The appellant has accepted it was a mistake. She conceded she made a genuine error herself. A simple careless error.
‘It is not a negligible error. It is a simple error.’
Mr Gill also noted that it was ‘a very unfortunate feature’ of Ms Anghel ‘that if she has someone who disagrees with her, or she feels disadvantages her, she will straightaway suggest bias or sabotage.
‘She even suggests that against the Employment Appeals Tribunal staff,’ he said.
Ms Anghel is now appealing against the decision at the Royal Courts of Justice, with a written decision to be handed down by the EAT within the next few weeks on fixing a date.
Middlesex University has been contacted for comment.