A WORKER who was branded 'camp' and taunted with limp-wrist gestures by colleagues at an East Lancashire engineering firm has been awarded a £175,000 payout.

An employment tribunal judge ruled that quality director Peter Allen was subjected to harassment, discrimination and victimisation based on his sexual orientation while working for Paradigm Precision Burnley Limited in Hapton – a company which makes jet engine parts.

The tribunal was told how Mr Allen was sent an email depicting two stereotypical gay characters with comments directed at him, was asked what his favourite “type” of man was at a work’s event and was rejected for promotions because company bosses believed he was likely to take additional leave after adopting a child.

During a three-month period between March and June 2018 in which Mr Allen was victimised, a passport photograph featuring his image with “I love” handwritten underneath it was left in the workplace for him to find.

The tribunal in Manchester also heard that Mr Allen was left isolated while company bosses looked into his complaints and Paradigm even appointed a temporary replacement while the grievance was investigated.

Mr Allen left his £74,000-a-year role in November 2018 when he was constructively unfairly dismissed. He had been with the company for five years.

Finding Paradigm guilty, tribunal Judge Mark Leach said: “He was told that he was ‘camp’ on or about March 12 and various other dates between March 12 and June 5, 2018.

“He was subject to limp-wristed hand gestures directed towards him on a number of occasions.

“He was sent an email depicting two stereotypical gay characters with comments directed at the claimant.

“He was asked what his favourite ‘type’ of man was at a work’s event on or about April 20, 2018.

“The claimant was rejected by Paradigm as operations director and then as a candidate for the position of general manager of its Burnley site.

“The claimant succeeds in his claim of constructive unfair dismissal.”

Judge Leach rejected further claims of harassment, victimisation, detrimental treatment and direct discrimination.

Mr Allen was awarded a payout totalling £174,645. That was broken down into a basic award of £3,048; £18,478 for loss of post-employment notice pay; £1,847 for loss of pension contributions; £500 for loss of statutory rights; £26,300 for injury to feelings; £45,586 in tribunal costs; £18,126 for future losses; and £6,632 in interest on awards in discrimination cases. A further £18,077 was made up of compensation for failure to follow the ACAS Code of Practice and £36,047 to take account of tax payable on awards in excess of £30,000.