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AUTHOR SACKED OVER NEW BOOK
AN author has been fired from his position as a residential home manager after bosses found out his latest book was set in a retirement home.
Stanley Morgan, 75, and his wife Linda, 64, were co-managers of the Hawthorns Retirement Complex in Carew Road until last month.
But after giving his new book to his boss as a holiday gift, managers of the home sacked him and his wife for gross misconduct.
Ex-actor Mr Morgan, who's sold books worldwide, had been writing his latest book Tobin Goes Cuckoo for the past 13 years.
He claims the idea for the story was dreamt up in the late 1980s while writing scripts for a television sit-com.
'I never thought that this would cause any trouble and it is certainly not set on the Hawthorns whatsoever,' Mr Morgan said.
'I wrote two batches of three scripts for a sit-com TV series before Linda and I ever got into being care home managers.
'Ninety-five per cent of the characters came from before we started at our first home.
'I innocently gave a copy of the book to my manager and he took exception to it, and sent it to his boss.'
Mr Morgan and his wife were summoned to meet bosses and suspended on the spot.
They were told not to enter into communal areas of the complex and told they must stay in their flat.
'They said to me, 'You've written a book and the company feel you have brought the organisation into disrepute and we have no alternative but to suspend you',' said Mr Morgan.
'I couldn't believe it. I was stunned.
'We were told to return to our flat and that we weren't allowed to go in any of the communal areas.
'They knew about my past. Often they would pull my leg about my part in Dr No.
'I admire and respect the 120 people at the Hawthorns.
'I would never do anything to denigrate them.
'The book I wrote is for the die-hard fans who have campaigned for a new book.
'It was never intended to be read by anyone who hasn't already read the series.
'Plus it's only available through the internet.'
Two days after their first meeting, the couple were fired.
A spokeswoman for Holiday Retirement who managed the Hawthorns said, 'It is our policy not to comment publicly on personnel matters.
'The Hawthorns delivers a first class service to its residents in an outstanding environment.
'We adhere to rigorous policies and procedures to maintain our high standards.'
Mr and Mrs Morgan plan to take their case to an employment tribunal after their appeal to overturn their joint sacking was unsuccessful.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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