Cambridge professor 'bullied' female colleague after he told her to 'shut up' and 'sit down woman'
9 August 2022, 12:05
A Cambridge professor has been found to have bullied a junior female colleague after he allegedly told her to "sit down woman" in a row over a report into slavery.
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Neuroscience professor Joe Herbert, 86, accused colleague Bronwen Everill of using "unwanted behaviour in the form of bullying and harassment related to the protected characteristic of sex".
During discussions on a controversial slavery report, which uncovered Gonville and Caius College's links with the slave trade, Professor Herbert allegedly shushed Ms Everill who was in charge of the report.
It is also alleged that Mr Herbert told his female colleague "sit down woman", "shut up" and "you’re not in charge here", according to Varsity the student newspaper.
Following meeting, Mr Herbert went on to send a series of emails to Ms Everill claiming in one: "I told you to shut up because you were shrieking at me."
The accusations were deemed "well founded" by the College grievance committee after hearing testimonies from witnesses who also attended the slavery report meeting.
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The College reportedly decided not to take any disciplinary action but have encouraged Mr Herbert to offer an apology to Ms Everill.
Dr Averill blasted the university's response to the allegations on Twitter saying: "The College’s official take is that it’s regrettable that Varsity found out. Not regrettable that the fellow involved behaved this way in the first place."
Her slavery report was published last week and concluded: "Caius alumni, fellows, and the College had significant connections to slavery and slaveholders and have profited off investments and benefactions connected to enslavement and coerced labour."
