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Harassed gay man's £120,000
award
12 Feb 2007-
Scotland- A media sales manager who was harassed and suffered
discrimination because he is gay has been awarded almost £120,000
compensation.
Jonah Ditton,
32, from Paisley, was insulted and sacked after eight days by CP
Publishing Ltd and advised that he was not "psychologically balanced".
An employment
tribunal awarded him £118,309 for discrimination on the grounds of his
sexual orientation.
The
Glasgow-based firm was not represented at the tribunal hearing.
At a hearing
last month, Mr Ditton told tribunal chairman June Cape he had been
depressed and upset as a result of his treatment.
He said he had
expected to earn more than £80,000 a year but turned to drink and had to
rely on benefits because he had been harassed and bullied.
He brought his
tribunal claim against CP Publishing, which publishes entertainment
listings, under the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations
2004.
"I do not feel
my sexuality had any bearing on my ability to do my job. I was truly
hurt and upset," he said.
"They are foul
individuals and they should be punished as much as possible."
'Humiliating
and degrading'
The tribunal
heard Mr Ditton's boss Warren Paul had called him "a wee poof" and said
he looked like "a cream puff".
Tribunal
chairman Mrs Cape said: "The conduct of the respondent was high-handed,
malicious, insulting and oppressive.
"Whilst the
claimant was only employed for a short period, the respondent, and in
particular Mr Paul, overtly abused and humiliated him on the grounds of
his sexual orientation persistently over that period of time.
"He found
himself being subject to daily abuse in front of those whom he was
managing on the grounds of his sexual orientation."
She added: "The
manner of his dismissal was humiliating and degrading."
Mr Ditton's
award included £10,000 for injury to feelings, £76,937 for pecuniary
loss, £5,291 interest and £26,081 for the company's failure to follow
statutory procedures.
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