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Mr Doyle started to become withdrawn, lost weight and his behaviour changed suddenly.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.


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