Homophobic harassment could lead to 6 figure pay out

By Katherine Knowles • July 6, 2006 - 1:00

CP publishing could face a £100, 000 fine

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A publishing company may be required to pay more than £100,000 to an ex employee who claims that he was harassed and then fired for being gay.

Jonah Ditton has been awarded £1033 in lost wages by an employment tribunal in Glasgow yesterday, but the details of his compensation are yet to be decided upon.

Mr Ditton said that he suffered 8 days of humiliation before he was finally fired by CP Publishing, who produce entertainment guides. He told the tribunal that he had not mentioned that he was gay at his interview with the publishing company, because he felt that he would be less likely to get the £25, 000 a year job.

Yet once he started work at the Glasgow firm, he said that he felt his sexuality immediately became an issue.

The tribunal ruled that director Warren Paul created a "degrading,

humiliating and offensive environment" for Mr Ditton. The former police officer allegedly threatened to send "some police friends to visit" if Mr Ditton contacted the office again after he had been fired for being "psychologically unbalanced".

The tribunal found CP Publishing guilty of harassment and a breach of equality laws, and said that it was "understandable" that Mr Ditton was "appalled and upset" by the discrimination and abuse that he had experienced.

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