The BBC has refused to hand over the emails of a deceased woman to her grieving husband , who believes they will prove she was ‘ bullied ’ by the Corporation ’ s management towards the end of her life . Mother-of-two Marie Csaszar , 45 , died last September following a ten-year battle with a brain tumour . She had worked for seven years at the BBC ’ s financial centre in Cardiff as a contracts manager , but according to her husband Paul , she was forced out of the post into another job after drawing attention to management blunders which he says cost licence-fee payers about £150,000 . Whistleblower : Marie Csaszar died after a 10-year battle with a brain tumour . Her widower has had a request for her work emails , which he believes will show she was being bullied by bosses , refused by the BBC . Legal experts described the case as ‘ highly unusual ’ , but predicted that it could be followed by similar claims as digital documents such as emails and social media posts play an increasingly important part in people ’ s lives . Facebook users in the US have the chance to designate a ‘ legacy contact ’ who can take over parts of their account after their death . Mr Csaszar says he believes the BBC failed in its duty of care to his late wife , and the treatment she received from management affected her health . He asked the BBC under the Data Protection Act for copies of his wife ’ s emails , in the hope they will provide evidence of her ‘ appalling ’ treatment by the Corporation , which he has spent months pursuing . However , he was told last month by the BBC that under the Act , personal data is defined as only ‘ data which relates to a living individual ’ . Despite Mr Csaszar being his wife ’ s legal next of kin , an email from the BBC – seen by The Mail on Sunday – read : ‘ Unfortunately as your wife has sadly passed away it is not possible for you to exercise the right to access her personal data under the Data Protection Act. ’ Mr Csaszar said his wife gave evidence to the BBC ’ s 2013 Respect At Work review that was set up to look into sexism and bullying following the Jimmy Savile scandal . He said it was her evidence which led the chairwoman , Dinah Rose QC , to conclude some senior Corporation staff were viewed as ‘ untouchable ’ . Details of the individuals who were the subject of Mr Csaszar ’ s complaint can not be published for legal reasons but they involve at least one senior manager on a six-figure salary . Last night , self-employed businessman Mr Csaszar , 48 , said : ‘ Marie was being hammered from one side to the other towards the end of her life . Nobody stood up and objected . Locked out : The BBC has refused to hand over the work emails of Marie Csaszar to her widower Paul . ‘ The treatment which Marie experienced at the hands of the BBC affected her recovery . She was constantly upset and left in tears , saying , “ I don ’ t know what I ’ ve done to deserve being treated like this. ” . ‘ They didn ’ t want Marie on the staff because she knew too much about what had gone on . ‘ She would refuse to sign off certain contracts because they didn ’ t show value for money , but they were signed off anyway . This caused her a great deal of stress. ’ Mrs Csaszar underwent intensive treatment for her cancer over several years , which left her suffering with epilepsy . However , she continued to work in her £50,000-a-year post , and raised serious concerns that could have saved licence-fee payers ’ money , her husband claims . In a formal grievance procedure with the BBC in 2013 , Mrs Csaszar raised a complaint about the closure of a cash office run by an outside contractor . She was advised by the BBC ’ s legal department that the Corporation was not liable under its contract to pay any money towards redundancy for staff employed by the contractors . But she told her husband that about £35,000 was paid out anyway . Mr Csaszar says he is desperate to see emails referring to his wife and how she was treated following her whistleblowing . He contacted the Information Commissioner ’ s Office , only to be told that the release of the documents was ‘ at the discretion ’ of the BBC . Mr Csaszar has raised his request with the BBC Trust , the Corporation ’ s watchdog , and is considering legal action . A BBC spokesman said : ‘ We were very sorry to hear of Ms Csaszar ’ s death . A thorough investigation was carried out into her complaint and the outcome was provided to her in July 2013 . We have provided this response to her husband . Ms Csaszar then attended work from October 2013 to May 2014 and did not raise a further appeal to her complaint . ’
Mother-of-two died following a 10-year battle with a brain tumour . She worked at BBC in Cardiff where husband claims she was bullied . Marie Csaszar gave evidence at BBC ’ s 2013 Respect At Work review . He asked for emails under Act but was refused .