Anglo employee abused by customers takes his own life

Bank supervisor 'was put through the mill by the general public... he wasn't Seán FitzPatrick'

Mick McCaffrey and Ali Bracken

AN EMPLOYEE at Anglo Irish Bank who was regularly abused by angry members of the public at the height of the banking crisis has taken his own life.

Stephen Doyle (32) was a supervisor at the bank's flagship St Stephen's Green branch where his job involved listening to customers' complaints about the behaviour of former chairman Seán FitzPatrick and other Anglo executives which led to the €30bn bailout by the taxpayer.

Mr Doyle suffered severe emotional trauma because of the behaviour of many members of the public who took out their anger at Anglo on him and other junior staff, according to Anglo sources.

On a daily basis customers and shareholders would come into the bank shouting and demanding to see FitzPatrick.

Ordinary Anglo workers have been repeatedly scorned and abused both inside and outside the bank and the situation has become so serious that management was forced to hire security guards three months ago.

There have been at least two documented cases of members of the public spitting in the direction of receptionists.

Mr Doyle started to become withdrawn, lost weight and his behaviour changed suddenly. He was then transferred to an administrative position for his own wellbeing by senior management.

Despite his transfer in March, Mr Doyle did not recover, and was found hanged from a tree by the Royal Canal at Leixlip, Co Kildare, close to his home, on Thursday afternoon.

He was married less than two years and had twin nine-month-old baby girls, Imogen and Zoey. He met his wife Kerrie at Anglo Irish Bank, where she was also employed. It is understood that his wife did not return to work after giving birth and may have taken redundancy at the bank.

Gardaí have launched an investigation and interviewed Anglo employees on Friday. It is understood that there is serious concern among staff and management at his treatment.

One colleague said: "He was a frontline staff member who was put through the mill by the general public and he snapped. At the height of the banking crisis he had a supervisor's role in the public area in Stephen's Green. People were literally coming in and shouting at the receptionists and other staff members.

"He was the first receiver of complaints and had to be transferred out because he simply couldn't handle the stress and abuse. We don't expect sympathy from the public because of what happened here, but he was only an ordinary employee, not Seán FitzPatrick. We feel we are taking the blame for the behaviour of others."

A spokeswoman for the bank told the Sunday Tribune: "Our colleague Stephen Doyle passed away yesterday. Stephen's colleagues are greatly saddened by his death. Our thoughts are with his wife, family and friends at this sad time."

Stephen Doyle's funeral will take place tomorrow.

Samaritans 1850 609090

September 19, 2010

Comments

#1 Aidan commented, on September 20, 2010 at 5:50 p.m.:

Rest in peace Ste.

#2 Jaker commented, on September 21, 2010 at 12:02 a.m.:

No ordinary bank worker should be blamed for the sins of their "Top Brass". Sean Fitzpatrick, you should be ashamed of yourself. So people, lay off the ordinary bank tellers...they're not the culprits in this debacle.

To the victim, RIP, & condolences to his family & friends.

#3 Niall Larkin commented, on September 21, 2010 at 10:23 a.m.:

All thoughts with Stephen Doyle's family and friends after this tragic event. It stands to demostrate, unfortunately, that there is a serious need for employers to be able to identify those facing huge negative stresses at work; in this case, the public in general, who funneled their frustration and anger on a tiny number of people who they deemed representative of a wider malaise. If employers had training and a wider understanding about the mental health issues that their employees could potentially face and intervene constructively, then the opportunity is created to help reduce and ultimately stop terrible events like Mr Doyle's death occurring.

#4 joe commented, on September 21, 2010 at 6:22 p.m.:

Very sad.
The human cost here seems to have no end in sight.

#5 Helena commented, on September 22, 2010 at 2:51 a.m.:

So not only has Anglo failed its customers but now it has clearly also failed its staff.
Obviously it has neglected to provide a timely and adequate security presence for its frontline staff in the face of an understandably angry customer base.
I hope his wife will be reacting appropriately to deal with this bank's neglect in provision of adequate protective measures for its staff.
This is a Health and Safety At Work issue. After all, the dogs in the streets knew how many livelihoods were destroyed by the actions of Anglo - did Anglo management expect that customers would come and go from Anglo's reception areas without acting accordingly?
Neglect !!!!

#6 Mary commented, on September 22, 2010 at 10:45 p.m.:

Its a tragic story. My sympathies to his family. It must be traumatic to be faced with the mad level of viscousness and hatred that is being directed at ordinary Anglo employees. I had heard that they were having an awful time. Life is hard enough without having to deal with that. I know people who had Anglo shares and lost significant amounts of money but I can't imagine them going into the bank and shouting/spitting at people. Its nuts. Anyone with half a brain would know that the decisions to ramp up the lending etc were made by Fitzpatrick and Drumm, not the ordinary employees.

#7 tom o'neill commented, on September 23, 2010 at 12:52 a.m.:

My grief and sympathy goes out to stevens parents theyre wonderful people. I hope and pray that they can get over this hurdle. I was very fortunate to know his father as a young man but not fortunate enough to be close to his son, Steven, but if he is anything like his father and his mother then I'm sure he was a wonderful person. My prayers and sympathy go out to them.

Cousin, Tom O'Neill

Chicago

#8 Rory commented, on September 23, 2010 at 9:41 a.m.:

Having worked serving the public for 11 years this pissed me off to no end. It's people that have never had to go through working in a service role that come in like morons yelling at staff.

It's one thing if it's a manager but a supervisor or a customer service rep. The people that abused him should be ashamed of themselves. Morons.

#9 peter moran commented, on September 23, 2010 at 11:04 a.m.:

sympathies to the family
r.i.p

#10 Mark commented, on September 23, 2010 at 1:33 p.m.:

Why are so many still criticising Sean Fitzpatrick for this? He has done a lot of damge but he didn't emotionally abuse someone to the point of suicide. Attach blame where blame is due, don't turn the torture of this innocent man into something to use against Sean Fitzpatrick. The general public did this. Be angry at them.

#11 Ann commented, on September 23, 2010 at 1:59 p.m.:

I sent an e=mail to the Minister for finance about a year ago to tell him that as a family we were in such a bad state that we all discussed suicide, things really got that bad. We survived as you can see but I never even got a reply, I begged for someone in Government to help us but I am still waiting.

#12 Paul Quaid commented, on September 23, 2010 at 8:08 p.m.:

Many years ago a manager in Easons who lived in the flat beside mine passed the following comment about the general public:

"The general public are spastics"

How right he was.

#13 James Haddock commented, on September 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m.:

Terrible to have to read this. It was never his fault.

RIP and sympathy to his family.

#14 Sam commented, on September 24, 2010 at 12:49 p.m.:

Hang on in there Ann. Family and love are more important than money. Friends are there for help. xxx

#15 Tirnanog33 commented, on September 24, 2010 at 4:40 p.m.:

Sean Fitzpatrick will sail into the sunset and golf courses in Marbella leaving a trail of destruction and suicide in his wake but we must remember where the blame ultimately lies-at the feet of the so called Soldiers of Destiny who stood idly by and watched the Ponzi style property bubble develop -year after year- and ultimately destroy the nation.!

#16 Tony commented, on September 26, 2010 at 4:27 p.m.:

should we expect to see sean fitzpatrick at the funeral if it doesn't clash with a round of golf?

#17 Michael Stephen Nolan commented, on September 26, 2010 at 8:50 p.m.:

It is very sad when a person working for a bank takes their own life. It is difficult to understand how they can do this but as with most suicides it is normal reasoning has been
replaced by a feeling of hopelessness.

Michael Stephen Nolan
Cork City

#18 Monica Smith commented, on October 1, 2010 at 2:39 p.m.:

I cannot believe that this wonderful young man was driven to this by such abuse. I work with the general public and people are quite abusive even about small insignificant things, so I can imagine what work was like for this young man. My deepest sympathy to his wife and young family, what a shame he did'nt just walk away from the job!! Nothing is worth this, his poor parents , wife and children. Monique

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