A Wagga sheriff has been offered his job back two weeks after he was given the sack for breaking up a fight outside the courthouse.
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Glenn Elliott-Rudder was on duty in February when a ‘code red’ was issued after a woman started attacking another outside the court.
CCTV showed Mr Elliott-Rudder running outside to help break up the fight, putting his hand out to move the instigator along.
A seven-month investigation followed, and Mr Elliott-Rudder was banned from performing his usual duties as a sheriff and stripped of his baton and equipment.
Then, just two weeks ago, Mr Elliott-Rudder was fired for using “excessive force”.
However, come Thursday morning, general secretary of the Public Service Association Stewart Little was pleased to announce Mr Elliott-Rudder had been offered his job back after the Attorney-General intervened.
“From our point of view, we welcome that intervention – the Attorney-General’s obviously had a look at the case and, to his great credit, he was able to move it on quickly,” Mr Little said.
“Glenn’s actions, in our view were exemplary – I’ve shown the way Glenn handled that situation to police officers and correctional officers and they’ve all said the same thing.”
Mr Little said his attention would now be shifting to addressing the underlying problems of Mr Elliott-Rudder’s unfair dismissal after making sure his reinstatement is completed without any “bullying, harassment, or singling out”.
“It’s shone a very bright light onto some of the less than satisfactory processes that, quite frankly, the Attorney General is going to have to become personally involved with,” he said.
“The security of our courts is an issue of great importance – we’ve had some really bad incidents, including a really bad one in Griffith this year where a defendant self-harmed inside the courtroom.”
PSA Wagga organiser Michelle Mackintosh agreed that the case is a perfect example of why a serious review is needed.
“Glenn was doing his duty as a sheriff and the decision made by Tracey Hall, the sheriff, was harsh and unjust – very harsh and unjust,” Ms Mackintosh said.
“That opens the question ‘why was that action taken’, and that’s something only the sheriff can answer.”
NSW Justice confirmed Mr Elliott-Rudder had been offered his job back and said the department was awaiting his official acceptance.
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