Police interpreter hired to talk to a Slovak ‘couldn’t speak the language’
Dr Zuzana Windle told a tribunal she was sidelined after flagging up issues with other interpreters.
She was on Capita’s books and worked with the South and West Yorkshire forces.
But in March 2019 she heard an unqualified interpreter had been supplied by Language Empire to speak to the Slovak witness.
Dr Windle wrote to West Yorkshire’s Chief Constable to say the move “compromised trials”, and to raise concerns as a taxpayer.
She said she then lost work.
The Leeds tribunal dismissed her damages claim.
The tribunal ruled: "In the circumstances, the claim that the claimant was subjected to detriments on the ground that she had made public interest disclosures is not well founded and is dismissed."
Language Empire’s contract with the forces was not renewed.