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Welfare Officer admits hitting student

Welfare Officer Grace Fletcher-Hackwood apologised for punching the student
YUSU Officer Grace Fletcher-Hackwood
Friday, 18th January 2008
Grace Fletcher-Hackwood hit second year Dan Taylor in the head in a drunken argument outside campus event Chav D.

The YUSU Academic and Welfare Officer told The Yorker she “fully admits that this was a fuck-up on my part” and “something that happened when I had had far more to drink than I ever intend to again”.

The incident happened outside Derwent after History and Politics student Taylor left the Club D special event on Friday night.

He said: “I left the bar with two friends after one of them was asked to leave because he was quite drunk.

“Grace stormed out after us and was shouting at me about my friend – at the previous Club D I had been stewarding and had had to ask her to leave because of her own drunken behaviour. She thought it was funny that this time it was one of my friends.

“She was very drunk again, so I told her she was being embarrassing and making a fool of herself. We were both shouting by this point and I said some things she didn’t like. I told her she didn’t represent students with her views and she came up and punched me in the side of the face.”

History and Politics student Taylor is well known on campus for his outspoken views on student issues.

The two have a long running feud Fletcher-Hackwood describes as: “a relationship of mutual disagreement”.

She said: “I do think it’s relevant to make the circumstances of this incident clear. The student was absolutely not hurt, nor was that my intention: what we’re talking about is a strapping football player laughing while an inebriated, five-foot, seven-stone weakling landed him a feeble tap on the ear.”

Her position as an elected sabbatical officer means that Fletcher-Hackwood is responsible for the welfare of all students on campus.

Taylor said: “The problem is who she is, not the situation. It’s really not on. She completely loses all credibility as a YUSU officer by doing such a thing.

“We do tend to wind each other up but that night she was more than just angry, she was drunk – and the drink spurred her on. This could have happened to anyone who held a different view to her, and as far as I am concerned, hitting someone because they hold a different view to you is pretty wrong.”

Fletcher-Hackwood sent an email apology to the student the following day stating she was “so, so sorry” to let him wind her up that much.

She told the Yorker yesterday: “I agree that this is completely inappropriate behaviour for anyone, particularly the YUSU Welfare Officer.

She added: “I am glad of the opportunity to apologise again publicly – but ‘inappropriate’ is the most serious word you could use to describe it and as far as I’m concerned the matter is now over.”

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Showing 1 - 20 of 121 comments
#1 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 7:34am

Good on her - he's had it coming for a while

#2 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 3:45pm

Rather disgraceful. She would usually be the first to ride her high horse to the scene of a drunken attack, but instead offers the excuse she's only 5 foot.

And then her apologies extend only as far as an email.

She should resign.

#3 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 4:23pm

Exactly. It doesn't matter whether she caused him an injury, the point is that she struck him. Obviously she aimed to hurt Rich Taylor, or she wouldn't have hit him, would she?

As for the most serious words you could potentially use to describe that incident, we've got a photo finish between "Common assault" "No-confidence" and "World-class irony".

#4 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 5:15pm

I think, considering her actions in the past (agreeing with others who have pointed to her often 'high horse' approach to Student and other politics) she should be forced to resign.

She has not taken responsibility for her actions, instead trying to trivialise the incident by pointing to physique as an indicator or her not being the victimizer. Bollocks.

The remit for the welfare role on campus is to "provide greater security" and that Fletcher-Hackwood admits she was pursuing an issue from a previous Club D in which she was drunk sounds more like the petty actions of someone embarrassed. Grow up- our fees are keeping you in a job this year. She is not the one to dictate when this issue is 'over' without Dan Taylor's say-so (in my opinion).

Ahh well, got to love YUSU "fuck ups" first thing in the morning.

#5 chris cowan
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 5:24pm

Also, she's not modelling herself on John 'fisticuffs' Prescott, is she?

#6 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 6:17pm

I agree, she should be forced to resign, this makes YUSU look very bad, and if they dont then they are going to alienate the student population.

#7 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 6:23pm

She can't be "forced" to resign. If you really think this is such an awful incident, the only way to discipline an Officer is to propose a censure or no-confidence motion to a UGM.

And how can Dan Taylor have asked her to leave an event if he was stewarding? Only the RP for an event, the Bar Manager, and Doorsafe have this power.

#8 Dan Taylor
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 6:39pm

I just want to clarify one or two points.

You are correct- she was escorted out by door-safe and I was then with her when the St. Johns paramedics were seeing to her.

She should do what is honourable and resign- she cannot be forced you are right, but this is not the way of acting one expects of a YUSU sabbatical Welfare Officer.

Her saying as far as she is concerned "this is over" is an underestimation of the seriousness of the event. Thankfully, no harm was done to me or anyone else, but the key point is that there was intent on her part to inflict some form of damage, else she would not have thrown a punch.

If she had any integrity left, she would resign.

#9 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 7:53pm

Can one drunken incident really counteract all her work as welfare officer? Be sensible people - she was drunk, you've all done something stupid when drunk and being on ANY committee doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to get drunk, yes Grace shouldn't have done it but getting plastered isn't a crime!

#10
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:05pm

Afternoon Dan.

A few points for everyone - no, I wasn't trying to make excuses based on the fact that I am much smaller than Dan, simply pointing out that no matter how drunk I was, I couldn't possibly have been under the impression that I could have 'inflicted some form of damage' on him. Also that Dan's statement to Nouse points out that he was, very justifiably, laughing at me during the incident, suggesting he didn't think it was earth-shatteringly serious either.

Secondly, and more importantly, if there is anyone who genuinely, honestly thinks that it will be far, far better to have no Academic & Welfare Officer in place for the rest of the year than to have an Officer in place who made one deeply regrettable, never-to-be-repeated mistake, then I suggest you pick up a copy of the Students' Union constitution , familiarise yourself with the procedures for a motion of no-confidence (pg 45), and submit one by noon on Monday January 28th in time for that week's UGM. Because if you think I'm going to resign over this, you are sadly mistaken.

Thirdly, Dan, let me once again take the opportunity to apologise for what you have referred to in your message to the President as 'Grace's little incident', and assure you that despite our differences you are as welcome as any student to avail yourself of YUSU's welfare services. As you know.

Grace

#11 Chris Northwood
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:12pm

@#9 Yes, but last time I checked getting plastered and hitting someone was.

She does hold a position of responsibility and should lead by doing, if she's promoting sensible drinking (as part of student welfare) getting that drunk is irresponsible and she has to accept that being in the eyes of the student body like she is, she has certain responsibilities to live up to.

At the end of the day, Grace has many critics (Dan included) who are, of course, going to try to turn this to their advantage.

#12
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:12pm

Actually it's more that the critics I do have are impressively prolific...

#13 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:13pm

The point is that by attacking him you clearly did want to inflict harm; irrespective of whether you were capable of or not, that was your intention - and I doubt you really weighed that up prior to the assault.

And to be frank, a large majority of students would be more than happy to see no Welfare officer, instead of having you there.

#14
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:30pm

'The point is that by attacking him you clearly did want to inflict harm; irrespective of whether you were capable of or not, that was your intention' - this is definitely not true.

'And to be frank, a large majority of students would be more than happy to see no Welfare officer, instead of having you there.' - I don't know if this *is* true, but if it is, you know what to do.

#15 Dan Taylor
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:42pm

I will be submitting a vote of No confidence and believe that this will pass.

#16 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:43pm

.14 - So you attacked him to say hello?

#17
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 8:56pm

I didn't 'attack' him. I hit him as an involuntary outburst of extreme frustration with absolutely no intention of causing him any pain whatsoever - as I've already pointed out, I'd have to drink myself into a coma before I could be under the illusion that I was capable of causing Dan Taylor harm. I'm not trying to excuse the inexcusable, I'm just clarifying what happened.

  1. 15, whoever you are, good luck to you.
#18 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 9:07pm

So our Welfare officer justifies her violence as an 'involuntary physical outburst'.

Good to know she's in control.

#19 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 9:09pm

No Confidence!

#20 Anonymous
Fri, 18th Jan 2008 9:24pm

No Confidence for me too!

Showing 1 - 20 of 121 comments

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