Offence (sexual) committed against me at UK well known holiday park...what can I do?

[Acacia123]

Whilst staying at a UK well known 'family' holiday park in August I had an offence committed against me by a male member of staff (a minor sexual offence). This was taken seriously by the police but I have heard today that the CPS have decided not enough evidence to prosecute. Disappointing but not unexpected.

The offence itself was distressing enough but the actions of the park / site / management were so awful that I am still to this day enraged. It resulted in us cutting our holiday short and departing very hastily - children extremely distressed and me shaken - mainly due to the ineffectual 'emergency security' and hopeless management. We had decided that we would plough on with our holiday and not let one horrible man spoil everything for us but in the end we simply could not stay as they left him working 50m from our accommodation watching us (in the toilet/shower block that we had no choice but to use). Horrific.

I wrote to the management asking for an explanation of their actions (a v long 4 page letter detailing each and every point that upset me - there were numerous things) but the only response I had was to say that they could not respond as it was a police matter.

It is now no longer a police matter and I want to do something. I am sick to my stomach and enranged. I want an apology and explanation from this company. I also want to name and shame. People need to know - this is heavily advertised as a family holiday destination. They failed us so badly in their duty of care. All they were interested in was to get us off site as quickly as possible so we could not make any noise about it. In hindsight I wish that I had gone banging on accomodation doors telling the other guests what had happened but at that stage I really believed they would deal with it appropriately, professionally, responsibly...how little did I know.

Can I get into trouble by going on the internet and naming?

Is there any other course of action I could take?

My god this is appalling! Have you got legal cover on your household insurance?

I presume this guy would have a crb (or not)?

you can put the are of the uk and hint. people need to be aware that this pervert is still on the loose. there will be families booking their holidays now compleely unaware that they may be going to this place.

i think without naming it outrght you can give big enough hints for us to work it out.

I would (could) not let this rest. It could be a vulnerable teenager he spies on next.

I would respond saying that you know what you saw, and you see it as your duty to ensure that as many people as possible know i. the type of person they employ, and ii. their lax approach to customer care. You would hardly leave your holiday early if this had not happened!

And I would do everything in my power to make sure that the press, internet etc. etc. are made aware of what happened. Max Clifford!!!

As long as you feel strong enough to deal with this and the flack that would inevitably follow.

BelVita - If the OP gives big enough hints for us to work it out the company would be entitled to sue for libel.

ajandjjmum - The company would also be able to sue for libel if the OP told the press, internet, etc. Admittedly if it was published in the newspapers they would be more likely to go after the newspaper concerned as they would be in a better position to pay damages, but they would still be entitled to sue the OP if they wanted.

I have every sympathy for what happened to her but I really don't want her to make matters worse for herself. If she is sued for libel she would have to prove that her allegation was true. We all believe her but proving it in court is another matter.

Since the police seem to have believed this case could be worth prosecuting, I am intrigued to know why the company think they are able to completely exonerate the employee. I can understand that they may not want to go too far based on the word of one customer but they should at the very least keep a record in case there are further allegations involving this individual. I wonder if they are worried that the OP may sue them and are adopting this attitude in an attempt to put her off.

acacia why not ask Mumsnet to delete this thread.

Then start another one telling us that you have a serious complaint against a holiday park to which you have had an unsatisfactory response.

You shouldn't tell us about the nature of the complaint - but you can safely tell us the name of the company.

This has been done many times on Mumsnet (the recent tesco thread is a good example)

Then we can put our collective heads together for you.

I am absolutely appalled by the way that you have been treated

Also I am very confused here about the potential claims for libel.

There have been many threads on Mumsnet where companies have been named in relation to poor service or products.

Tesco (recently)

Greggs, Fruit Shoots

A pregnant lady who was roughly handled in a gift shop in Bourton on the Water (the shop was named)

Centre Parcs etc (not just on the bumsex threads either)

I has a really shit holiday once with Hoeseasons. Miserable staff, damp accommodation, rubbish service. This isn't libel - it's my opinion.

I really don't think that naming this company could be classed as libel

Also there is no fucking way any company would risk claiming for libel in a case like this. The ensuing negative publicity would be a million times worse for them.

Feel free to private message me op with the name of this company.

I would be MORE than happy to start a new thread under my own steam.

This man is a danger to the public and I feel sick thinking about what happened to you. You have violated in a deeply personal way and I dread to think what this man might be capable of next.

OP you have been treated disgracefully by the company.

I too would not want to stay somewhere that brushed under the carpet an incident as dreadful as this

Been violated

Very strange behaviour from company. Even if, let's say, you were making a false accusation you would expect them to remove the employee from public duties till investigated.
(I don't think you were making it up btw, just stressing how oddly useless the holiday park was at dealing with it)

BettySuarez - It is not libel to talk about poor service or poor products, nor is it libel to complain about having a poor holiday. Those class as fair comment. However, complaining of a sexual offence committed by a member of staff is potentially libellous and could not be classed as fair comment as it a question of fact, not an opinion.

If I were advising the company I would certainly recommend not claiming for libel but some people do launch ill advised libel suits.

Your idea of getting this thread deleted and launching another one could still lead to the OP being sued for libel. And if the OP tells you the name of the company and you launch another thread I'm afraid you could both be sued for libel.

I sincerely hope the OP is not sued for libel. That would just add insult to injury. But I don't think she should take that risk.

I think this is a safeguarding issue, as you are talking about a member of staff who has access to showers where children and vulnerable adults will be undressed. Contact social services and report your complaint to the park and to the police, the full story including their ridiculous letter claiming the employee has been 'exonerated' (how, exactly? Not sure that is actually possible, unless they have CCTV that shows he was somewhere completely different at the time and you were the only person in the showers -in which case families should be warned they are being filmed...).

Wouldn't panic about libel, any company would be bonkers to try to sue - that's the quickest way to make sure the allegations are reported and spread far and wide. Only thing that would concern me is making sure you don't blacken the name of innocent employees - implying that someone at the camp is a pervert could put everyone under suspicion.

Pentre Carcs?

They'd have showers in their accommodation wouldn't they? Didn't op say they were in a caravan?

It would have to be a large well known campsite along the scale of Sandy Balls

I agree that more should have been done by the holiday place.

I agree that the chap should have been sacked at the very least.

However, it needn't have resulted in cutting your holiday short.

But if the OP no longer felt safe then what choice did she have?

This man continued to work within sight of her accommodation

edam - The OP has already contacted the police. The CPS decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.

I agree the company would be bonkers to sue but I have known owners of such sites to do things that are bonkers and refuse to take sensible advice. Depending on how many people work at the site there is also the possibility that some of the staff could choose to sue.

This is completely horrifying. It's bad enough to have had the original experience, which must have really shaken you (and it could have happened to someone's teenage child) but for the company to respond like that is just disgusting.
Really, really shocked.

prh, yes, but that doesn't mean it's not a safeguarding issue. It's not just people who have been convicted of crimes who might be dangerous to children. I think social services should be informed that there is a Peeping Tom at this park and that his employers are allowing him continuing access to children on the grounds he has been 'exonerated'. According to them.

I expect even a whiff of another complaint and the police would be all over this like a rash.

Also (unless really stooopid people run this quite well known holiday camp) I would expect that this person does no longer work for them, but they won't admit it.

prh forgive me for asking but are you in any way connected to this company?

It's just that you seem to be at great pains to stress the libel risks and have an answer for every poster who tries to suggest otherwise.

Now you claim to know of several holiday companies who would be bonkers enough to sue for libel.

Am I am genuinely sorry if I have misunderstood your intentions here but your posts are not quite sitting right with me.

The OP's issue isn't with the fact that a Peeping Tom spied on her in the shower (although God alone knows that this is bad enough )

Her issue is that the holiday company have failed in a spectacular way to address the complaint and to ensure that the public have been safe guarded.

Posting about that on Mumsnet is NOT libel! The OP is merely relaying a sequence of correspondence and can presumably provide evidence if needed in the form of written letters between herself and this Company.

This is a safeguarding issue - the OP should be asking to see a copy of the Companies Child Protection Policy and Complaints Policy.

I agree with prh47bridge's posts, there is a very real risk of being sued for libel if you name the place, and the fact that you know what you are saying to be true will not help you, as the onus would be on you to prove it.