Darren Hayward was instructed to advise on an incident at the client’s company summer party during which an employee assaulted another member of staff, was abusive to the Managing Director and his wife and made highly inappropriate comments about and in front of a female member of staff which constituted sexual harassment.
Having suspended the employee and advised on the disciplinary hearing, Darren was instructed to advise on the potential sex harassment claim and to deal with matters to avoid significant liability to the company.
What complicated matters further was that the ultimately dismissed employee made allegations to the police that he had been the one who had been assaulted which involved the Managing Director being questioned by the police.
Following advice given, an unfair dismissal claim was unsuccessful, a sex harassment claim was avoided and the police withdrew their involvement.