Talkback host Ray Hadley 'hurled vile homophobic slurs at his personal staffer for almost 20 YEARS and racially abused another announcer'
- Former panel operator Chris Bowen is suing his onetime radio boss Ray Hadley
- Bowen says Hadley bullied him with vicious abuse almost daily for two decades
- He also claims Hadley had called another of 2GB's announcers a 'lazy, black c***'
Radio star Ray Hadley viciously bullied a colleague almost daily for two decades and called another station announcer a 'lazy, black c***', a court has heard.
Hadley's onetime panel operator Chris Bowen is suing the 2GB talkback host for negligence and breaching duty of care in the New South Wales District Court.
The first details of the case emerged on Monday when Bowen's barrister Shaun McCarthy said Hadley had bullied his client 'almost every day, often dozens of times a day, over a period of nearly 20 years.'
Mr McCarthy said the broadcaster used 'vile, homophobic slurs' against Bowen at least 94 times during his years at the station.
Radio star Ray Hadley (pictured) allegedly viciously bullied a colleague almost daily for two decades and called another station announcer a 'lazy, black c***', a court has heard
Hadley's onetime panel operator Chris Bowen (pictured) is suing the 2GB talkback host for negligence and breaching duty of care in the New South Wales District Court
'On 20 occasions Mr Hadley called my client a bald, fat c***,' Mr McCarthy said, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Hadley had also allegedly made racist comments about Bowen's loved ones and called 2GB broadcaster Luke Bona a 'lazy, black c***'.
Bowen has claimed he was traumatised and suffered psychiatric injury from Hadley's alleged vilification and verbal abuse.
Hadley's barrister Callan O'Neill said the damages claim against his client for intentional infliction of mental harm suffered from a 'lack of factual underpinning'.
Mr O'Neill said Bowen had failed to provide precise dates or times for the 94 incidents of alleged bullying and harassment against him, his wife and other employees, according to The Australian.
He submitted more detail was needed because Bowen had mental health issues before and after his employment at the radio station.
Hadley allegedly made racist comments about Bowen's loved ones and called 2GB broadcaster Luke Bona (pictured) a 'lazy, black c***'
Lawyers for Hadley (pictured) submitted more detail was needed to be put before the court because Bowen had mental health issues before and after his employment at the radio station
Mr McCarthy said he wanted to keep the names of people set to give evidence at the trial secret - even from the defence, for now - because Bowen was concerned about witnesses being intimidated.
Mr O'Neill said denying Hadley's legal team access to Bowen's witness list before the hearing put his client at an 'extraordinary' disadvantage which offended 'every principle of open justice', according to The Australian.
Hadley's legal team wants to strike out most of Bowen’s statement of claim and for the matter to go to mediation.
Mr McCarthy said: 'We don't want things held up even longer waiting for a mediation which may or may not be successful.'
Hadley apologised on air last year for his behaviour, describing his relationship with Bowen as once being like 'father and son'.
'I've admitted to my previous shortcomings, I've also made no secret of the fact that in recent years I have done everything I can to do better,' he at the time.
Registrar James Howard ruled he would provide Hadley's lawyers with a list of the potential witness’s roles but not their full identities.
The case will return to court on June 12.
