BBC apologises 'unreservedly' to family of reporter who killed himself 'after complaints he was sexually harassed by a female colleague were ignored'

Coventry and Warwickshire journalist Russell Joslin killed himself last year



50-year-old claimed he was harassed by colleague trying sexual advances

The unnamed woman allegedly sent him texts and left angry voicemails

She is said to have called him ‘flaky’ and a ‘loser on 27 grand a year'

Report into his treatment at BBC finds his complaints were not dealt with



Sorry: The family of Russell Joslin, a BBC journalist who killed himself after allegedly being harassed by a female colleague, has received an apology from the Corporation

The BBC has ‘apologised unreservedly’ to the family of a radio presenter who committed suicide after claiming his bosses ignored complaints that he was being sexually harassed.

Russell Joslin, 50, died in October after reporting to managers that a senior woman colleague had bullied him for five years.

Mr Joslin, the son of a chief constable, believed he was sidelined after rejecting her advances and his family demanded an inquiry after his death.

Yesterday, the corporation apologised to Mr Joslin’s family after a report found the way the BBC had dealt with the complaints was ‘not good enough’.

It also reported criticism of the female colleague, who cannot be named for legal reasons, with others describing her as a ‘strong and dominating personality’, who ‘created an atmosphere of intimidation’.

Referred to as ‘colleague A’, the woman is said to have been ‘very difficult to work with,’ with ‘managers scared to confront her’.

Mr Joslin, who was a reporter at BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, died at a psychiatric hospital in Warwick, three days after he tried to kill himself by walking in front of a bus.

He had been tormented by work-related stress and had only recently returned part-time to the station.

He is believed to have received a series of phone messages from his female colleague branding him a ‘flake’ and a ‘loser’ after they argued during a meal out in 2007.

He had allegedly walked out on her in a restaurant, leaving her to find her own way back to Coventry, where she was working at the time.

Upset: Russell Joslin's father Peter, 78, pictured at his home in Kenilworth, has blamed Corporation bosses for failing to stop his son's death

According to reports, one of the phone messages sent to Mr Joslin said: ‘Thanks for abandoning me. Don’t ever, ever think of me as your mate again.

'Do what you have to at the BBC cause you are a loser on 27 grand a year. But don’t ever encroach on me or my talent.’

After bosses failed to act on his complaints he was left ‘a shadow of his former self’, Mr Joslin’s family said. Yesterday, they added that the BBC had ‘clearly let Russell down’.

‘They could and should have done more. All of their staff regardless of role should be treated equally and have the same standards expected of them.

'Whilst we do not blame any individual and nor should anyone involved in Russell’s care do so, tragically it is possible that Russell might still be alive if the BBC system had pro-actively handled his complaints with more competence, openness, and humanity.’

Mr Joslin’s father Peter, a former Warwickshire chief constable, previously said that after his son rejected the advances of his colleague ‘life became very tough for him’.

Case: Russell killed himself at St Michael's Hospital (pictured) having previously tried to walk in front of a bus

Yesterday a BBC spokesman said: ‘The BBC extends our deepest sympathies to Russell’s family, friends and colleagues. Russell was a respected and much loved member of the team at Radio Coventry and Warwickshire and he is greatly missed.

'We would also like to thank the Joslin family for their participation in this investigation.

‘The BBC acknowledges that aspects of the handling of Russell Joslin’s case were not good enough. We have apologised unreservedly to the Joslin family.’