Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
£287K payout for executive branded a ‘pikey’ and ‘gypo’ Court upholds racism compo claim
A BUSINESSMAN who was called a “pikey” “gypo” and “Paddy” at board meetings was awarded almost £300,000 by a tribunal yesterday.
Father-of-one Edward Bell, 52, was also asked where he had left his “horse and cart” – before being wrongfully fired for “whistle-blowing”.
Belfast-born Mr Bell, who has Romany heritage, said line manager Sid Barnes made life miserable from the first time they met in 2015 remarking on his “strong and thick” accent.
The abuse escalated after he raised concerns about the £21million takeover of a rival by his employers Cordant, one of the UK’S largest recruitment firms.
An employment tribunal in Manchester upheld his claims of harassment related to race and unfair dismissal because of making protected disclosures.
In a letter of grievance to HR head Ken Steer he wrote: “I believe SB [Sid Barnes] saw me as a potential whistle-blower, sought to get me out.”
Speaking after the written ruling Mr Bell, who earned £90,000 a year at the company’s Manchester base, added: “My family lineage has some Romany. It’s about abuse of power by bullying.
“A lot of it happened during board meetings. But we all know when banter stops and racism begins. It was demeaning and derogatory.” Tribunal Judge Hilary Slater said: “The claimant asserts this harassment started from his first meeting with Barnes and continued – particularly when they attended business meetings and the attendees met in the bar for a drink after the meeting.”
At a meeting at Woburn Abbey in April 2015 Mr Bell said Barnes – referring to the new company car policy –told him he would be able to upgrade to a “new horse and cart.”
In London, during a group drink, he said the claimant was the only person “who could wear good clothes and still look like a gypsy”.
Mr Bell said the abuse worsened after he told his boss Cordant bought Staffgroup Ltd at an over inflated price of £21million, providing him with what he believed were falsified invoices.
Barnes was friendly with Staffgroup co founder Paul Flynn and was also on good terms with the other founder Mark Znowski. The judge said: “We consider Barnes’ friendship with the MDS of Staffgroup Ltd to be significant.”
Mr Bell was put on garden leave at the end of September 2015 and given six months’ notice which expired in March last year.
Speaking after the tribunal he said: “I was effectively sacked for being a whistleblower. I was prepared to take the racism on the chin.”
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