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London: A sales manager bullied by sexist colleagues who rated potential female recruits by their bra size has won £26,000 compensation after being forced to quit.
Angelina Ashby, 41, described her office as a boys’ club where women were deemed as ‘being over-emotional and sensitive’.
She said that among the worst offenders was sales manager Peter Smith, who is a married father of three.
He chased a woman around the office and spanked her on his knee while encouraging others to grab his private parts, an employment tribunal was told.
He also viewed blow-up dolls and sex toys on the internet at work, said Miss Ashby.
Despite complaining to bosses, nothing was done to stamp out the culture of sexism at the marine supplies company, Cathelco.
Other incidents included male staff drawing insulting cartoons about Miss Ashby’s weight and calling her ‘fat face’ in an email, the tribunal heard.
Miss Ashby was nicknamed ‘Angel’ by her tormentors. On one occasion, she said she leant over Mr Smith’s desk to collect teacups and sales executive Laurie Wilson said: ‘Never mind, Pete. You have Angel’s **** in your face.’
Miss Ashby won her claim for sex discrimination and constructive dismissal at the tribunal in Sheffield. Judge Robert Little said there was an ‘underlying laddish culture’ at the company.
Miss Ashby, a single mother, started work for the firm in June 2003 and later became a sales project manager on a Ministry of Defence aircraft carrier contract.
She said she was ostracised and her treatment by Mr Smith and other male colleagues drove her to take anti-depressants.
They were regularly heard talking about her in derogatory terms and she believed the jibes were intended to belittle her.
When she finally submitted a grievance, managing director Justin Salisbury told her she had a personality which ‘p***es’ people off’ and ‘in 20 years of business, Cathelco had only ever had a problem with women’.
Miss Ashby, who earned £13,500 a year, said at a later meeting that Mr Salisbury told her ‘they had been very understanding’ towards her.
She resigned in October 2008. She told the tribunal that women had to ‘clearly work twice as hard as male staff to gain career or monetary progression’.
Former employee Alina Taylor, 37, said bosses would openly talk about prospective female recruits and said ‘pretty girls always get jobs at Cathelco’.
She added that two of the men ‘would often talk about the girl’s bra size as being criteria for employment’.
Cathelco, based in Chesterfield, denied all the allegations, claiming Miss Ashby was ‘unmanageable’ and ‘not a team player’.
The tribunal heard she got a job as a hospital administrator but was dismissed last July because of time she took off with anxiety and depression.
She told the tribunal: ‘I firmly believe the depression was attributable to the treatment I suffered at Cathelco.’
Miss Ashby twice broke down in tears as she told how the bullying had affected her health, her son’s behaviour and caused her loss of self-esteem.
‘I have been reduced to someone who is completely lacking in self-confidence and is depressed and no longer the vibrant person I was,’ she added. Her retired father, Marwan, 69, who is paying her £43,000 legal bill, told the tribunal that the company had ‘destroyed her’.
‘My daughter used to be an assertive, confident woman,’ he said.
Miss Ashby was awarded £26,061, made up of £15,000 for injury to feelings and £9,158 for loss of earnings, as well as compensation for loss of statutory rights.
Afterwards, Miss Ashby said: ‘I’m pleased it’s all over. It was not about the money it is about justice. My father is footing my legal bill so he is still going to be out of pocket.
‘I’m hoping to rebuild my life and get back into customer services.’
Source: Daily Mail
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