Court upholds harass claim against Bristol sheriff

DARTMOUTH (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) -  The state's Appeals Court has upheld a lower court's decision that the Bristol County sheriff's office was liable in a sexual harassment case involving a female former employee.

Sheriff Thomas Hodgson told The Standard Times the department will not appeal the judgment, leveled against the department and one of its officers, who has since retired.

Lori Gonsalves had alleged that not only had she been sexually harassed by a male coworker, but that senior officers failed to intervene when she complained.

Gonsalves, who resigned before charges were filed, was awarded $61,700 in back pay and $100,000 in punitive damages.

The court rejected department arguments that the sheriff's office wasn't liable because it had no knowledge of the complaints.