HIstoric Royal Palaces, the charity that runs the Tower and several of Britain's historic attractions, gave 44-year old Mr. Sanders-Crook the boot after he was accused, along with two other men, of orchestrating a bullying campaign against the first female Yeoman of the Guard, Moira Cameron. The case was due to go to tribunal before the charity admitted their error and settled in their former employee's favour. Some reports suggest that the money was in the region of £100,000.
So what exactly happened behind the gates of the Tower? Cameron complained that her £1,400 uniform had been defaced, and that unpleasant notes were left in her locker. That a number of her fellow Yeomen were unhappy at the prospect of a female colleague seems certain enough, and if Cameron felt she was the subject of a bullying campaign, then Historic Royal Palaces were right to take the matter seriously; yet the fact that they paid Mr. Sanders-Crook off early, rather than see it go to tribunal, suggests that there was an overreaction on at least one side. Were the allegations justified? Or was Mr. Sanders-Crook simply not involved? We may never know.
