Exchange Chambers

Exchange Barrister in £78,000 Employment Tribunal Award

Exchange Barrister in £78,000 Employment Tribunal Award for Client

Scott Redpath, a barrister at Exchange Chambers, has successfully represented a golf club greenkeeper who was told to wear a red cap because of his autism and was awarded £78,000 at an employment tribunal.

Andrew Beck, 44, who has Asperger's syndrome and learning difficulties, was forced to resign from his job at the Davyhulme Park club, in Trafford, after being singled out for bullying and intimidation by his boss.

Mr Beck's claims for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination were upheld at a Manchester tribunal.

Making the award of damages, employment judge David Jones described the case as `particularly serious because of the duration for which the acts of harassment continued leaving the claimant feeling vulnerable and unhappy at work'.

Davyhulme Park Golf Club has a strict dress code, requiring players to tuck their shirts into their trousers or shorts while playing and prohibits the use of mobile phones on the course except in an emergency.

The tribunal heard that Mr Beck had been happy in the job for 13 years until a new head greenkeeper, Nick Marner, was appointed in 1999.

In the years that followed Mr Beck was given an unfair amount of heavy work and told to wear a red cap to mark him out from other staff and alert golfers to his presence.

On one occasion Mr Marner was said to have violently knocked a rake out of his hands and pushed him out of the way, using bad language.

Speaking after the award was made, Mr Beck's 75-year-old father Arnold said: "I'm happy with the award - I just wanted a win and was never bothered about the money."