Pub worker who claimed he was targeted by a ‘homophobic’ chef who laced his sandwich with paprika has discrimination case thrown out after judge rules he was responsible for ‘what food passed his lips’
- Mark Holden said he was harassed by his colleague at a pub in the Lake District
- The RAF veteran was left ‘doubled up in pain’ and was rushed to hospital
A pub worker who claimed he was targeted by a ‘homophobic’ chef who laced his sandwich with paprika has had his discrimination case thrown out after a judge ruled he was responsible for ‘what food passed his lips’.
RAF veteran Mark Holden claimed he was harassed by his colleague at the Strands Hotel and Screes Inn in the Lake District, who ‘maliciously’ sabotaged his meal despite knowing he was unable to handle spices.
He said he was left ‘doubled up in pain’ and was rushed to hospital when he ate the food due to a stomach injury he had suffered while serving in Afghanistan.
Despite his allegations, a tribunal ruled there was ‘insufficient evidence’ to prove he had been deliberately targeted because of his sexuality, or that his stomach condition had been common knowledge.
RAF veteran Mark Holden claimed he was targeted by a ‘homophobic’ chef at the Strands Hotel and Screes Inn in the Lake District who laced his sandwich with paprika
He said he was left ‘doubled up in pain’ and was rushed to hospital when he ate the food due to a stomach injury he had suffered while serving in Afghanistan
Mr Holden also claimed he had been ‘pressurised’ into writing ‘The quizmaster has the final say, even though he is Scouse and gay’ at the bottom of pub quiz sheets.
However, Employment Judge Alan Johnson ruled he had been ‘very keen’ to add the wording to the answer sheets himself to ‘assert his unique character’, despite bosses being concerned.
The hearing, held in Manchester, was told Mr Holden was ‘enthusiastic’ in taking over responsibility of a weekly quiz which was run in the bar, where he assumed the title of quizmaster.
He was not only keen to prepare questions, but also to ‘compère’ proceedings, it was heard.
Mr Holden wrote ‘The Quizmaster has the final say, even though he is Scouse and Gay’, on all of the quiz sheets that were handed to customers.
He told the panel he was ‘pressurised’ into adding the phrase, and had not been happy about it, but Mark and Lesley Corr, who run the The Strands Hotel and Screes Inn, ‘insisted’ it had been Mr Holden’s doing.
The tribunal found Mr Holden had in fact been told by his boss the choice of wording was ‘inappropriate’ and agreed with Mr Corr’s version of events.
Mr Holden and husband Christopher started working at the site in June 2018 and were paid £400 a week for a 40 hour week.
In August, Christopher Holden was dismissed in a ‘final straw’ incident where he closed the bar early for no reason – resulting in Mark Holden handing in his resignation.
Assessing the malice of the paprika sandwich incident, Judge Johnson said: ‘Had he experienced something more potent than he expected, it is reasonable to conclude he would have spat out the food and/or not eaten any more of the meal in question.
‘He had to take responsibility for what food passed his lips after all.’
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