Butt of racist jokes was ‘unfairly sacked’

A PORSCHE salesman nicknamed “poppadom” by his colleagues was sacked for racism after he joined in with the jokes to become part of the group.

Shailesh Rathod, the only non-white salesman at the “laddish” dealership, was frequently subjected to offensive practical jokes and comments from his fellow employees, a tribunal heard.

Mr Rathod said he had “no choice” but to “go along” with the “crude and immature” working environment.

He told the inquest he was an “outsider” trying to “fit in” at the garage in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.

Things came to a head last year when a male colleague threw a banana at him and his son “to see how he reacted”, the tribunal heard. Despite Mr Rathod making a complaint, his grievance was ignored by management and he was placed on sick leave.

However, after bringing a second complaint over the behaviour of a white colleague identified only as “Oliver”, screenshots of a series of racist and misogynistic Whatsapp messages sent by Mr Rathod to Oliver were exposed to his bosses.

Managers at the dealership sacked Mr Rathod for alleged sexual and racial harassment.

But a judge at the Nottingham employment tribunal has upheld Mr Rathod’s claim of unfair dismissal against Pendragon Sabre, the garage’s owners. Compensation will be determined at a later hearing .