Sacked Clarks shoes boss denies sexist, racist jibes
By THE sacked boss of Clarks shoes yesterday denied making sexist, racist and homophobic remarks.
Mike Shearwood, 56, took the retail giant to an employment tribunal after he was dismissed last year as chief executive for allegedly breaching the familyowned firm’s code of ethics.
The tribunal heard that Mr Shearwood allegedly described a client of Clarks as a “f ****** faggot”.
He is also accused of telling a colleague she was not “fat, fat”, suggesting in fact she had large breasts, and saying another employee was “hot”.
It is also said Mr Shearwood referred to “violent blacks” and made comments to a gay colleague including, “we like women, you like women”.
The hearing in Bristol was told that on a visit to the US, colleagues described Mr Shearwood as “loose with his comments and at times vulgar”. He said: “I did it for shock. I did apologise to the ladies in the room if I was rather crude but I was trying to get the point across.”
He denied having a conversation about the size of one employee’s breasts, saying that any reference to that had been to identify her from others.
He told Paul Goulding, QC, representing Clarks: “I said the lady with the large chest – it was used by a way of description.” He also denied calling one colleague “hot”, adding: “I was explaining that in France and Spain, the department stores are really keen on the images of people presenting in front of them.
“And I said she would have a really good image and the department stores would respond to that.”
Mr Shearwood also denied commenting on the sexuality of a colleague, using the term “violent blacks” or describing a tall basketball player as a “thing”. Mr Shearwood was appointed as head of Clarks in September 2016 and left in June last year.
It is expected he will claim that he was dismissed for trying to expose mismanagement. The hearing continues.