Former Hearts boss launching legal battle against club

By Cara Sulieman

FORMER Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo will launch a legal bid against his old club next week when he takes them to an employment tribunal over the sudden end to his reign there earlier this year.

The Hungarian is suing Heart of Midlothian FC for unfair dismissal and breach of contract after his dismissal in January.

The tribunal has been set down to last four days, scheduled to start on Tuesday, with Mr Laszlo is expected to give evidence in person about the controversial end of his time with the Edinburgh side.

He initially had a flying start at Tynecastle, leading the team to third place in the SPL and qualifying for the Europa League.

Football secretary loses sex discrimination case

Louise Mackenzie has lost her case against Hearts FC

By Cara Sulieman

A CLUB football secretary who took SPL side Hearts FC to an employment tribunal claiming sex discrimination has lost her case.

Louise Mackenzie, 34, alleged the club froze her out of her “prestigious” job because she was off ill following maternity leave, and claimed that the club would have acted differently if she had been a man.

She was upset that match-day working – and the chance to earn more pay – had been handed to another employee instead when she came back part time after having a baby.

But the Tynecastle side denied that was the case, saying match day work was never in her contract and insisting that the drafted other staff in for “operational reasons”.

Csaba Laszlo gives evidence at Hearts tribunal

 

Csaba Laszlo

By Cara Sulieman

FORMER Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo revealed it wasn’t just a striker he was missing during his time with the club – but a secretary too.

He appeared as a witness today at an Employment Tribunal in Edinburgh where his former employers are accused of sex discrimination.

Football secretary Louise Mackenzie alleges she lost out on work at the club after returning from maternity leave part time before someone else was hired to cover shifts she also expected to do.

It was when a second football secretary was taken on in July 2009 that home match day hours – which Louise Mackenzie says she was contractually entitled to – were taken away from her.

Football secretary sues Hearts for sexual discrimination

Louise Mackenzie leaving the employment tribunal

By Cara Sulieman

A KEY member of backroom staff at Hearts FC told an employment tribunal today (Mon) that she was “very upset” after having the terms of her contract changed when she came back from maternity leave.

Louise Mackenzie has been the football secretary for the premiere league club since 2001, and went on maternity leave in January 2008.

When she returned on a part-time basis in September 2008, she discovered that she would no longer be working every home match day at Tynecastle.

Previously in her full time position this had been the case.

The 34-year-old told the tribunal – led by Employment Judge Susan Craig – that she had asked to come back on a part time basis after the birth of her son, working Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

Swine flu victim said she would “get through it” before she went into coma

Lindy Paterson

By Cara Sulieman

THE WORRIED sister of Ibiza swine flu victim Lindy Paterson has told how she texted home to say she wasn’t feeling well shortly before being rushed to hospital, joking: “I’ll get through it.”

Louise Paterson, 23, said Lindy was often prone to colds but always bounced back quickly, so thought nothing of it.

But now she is waiting at the family home in Keltybridge in Fife to hear news of her sister’s recovery from her parents – Celine and William – who are by Lindy’s bedside.

Lindy, 28, sent her a text the day before she was rushed to hospital telling her sibling: “I’m not feeling too good today but you know me, I’ll get through it.”

Tragic Scots schoolgirl Kelly falls victim to adult cot death

Kelly Blair

By Alexander Lawrie and Cara Sulieman

A TRAGIC Scots schoolgirl has been found dead in her bed after falling victim to suspected adult cot death.

Pretty Kelly Louise Blair, 16, from Musselburgh, East Lothian, was discovered by her family after they went to wake her.

Paramedics were called to the family home at around 8am last Thursday after being called by distraught relatives.

Two ambulances and a doctor attended the scene, but were unable to save the schoolgirl.

Badger cheats death after falling down drain

Louise Seddon with the badger

By Cara Sulieman

A BABY badger narrowly escaped death after falling down a storm drain and getting stuck.

With eight-foot high walls the badger would either have starved or drowned if a passer-by hadn’t heard it struggling to get out.

Seeing that the animal was stuck, they called the Scottish SPCA out to the scene in Cupar, Fife.

But freeing the stubborn four-month-old animal proved to be difficult.