Sting chef 'feared losing baby'

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A chef who was unlawfully made redundant by celebrity couple Sting and Trudie Styler after she became pregnant said she feared losing her baby.

For eight years Jane Martin, 41, from Winchester, Hampshire, cooked for stars such as Madonna at the couple's 300-acre Lake House Wiltshire estate.

This month, she won her cases of unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination.

Ms Martin told of her "cruel" treatment at the Southampton employment tribunal deciding on the level of damages.

When the moment came and I was made redundant I felt devastated Jane Martin

The tribunal panel had ruled that Ms Styler's treatment of Jane Martin had been "shameful".

On Friday, a tearful Ms Martin described the "hurt" and "distress" that she felt at her treatment by Ms Styler, who she accused during the case of having a "grandiose ego".

Ms Martin, who had previously had a miscarriage and later gave birth to a boy who is now two years old, said the stress of the redundancy changed her personality.

"I worried about the future and it affected my sleep most nights, even though my son was by then sleeping through the night," she added.

"I became irritable and short tempered despite my normal calm demeanour.

'Generous gifts'

"When the moment came and I was made redundant I felt devastated - it still destroyed my world.

"Lake House and cooking were my life and in one unjust stroke that had been taken away from me. It was so cruel."

But Ms Martin, who earned £28,000 a year, did reveal that when she was part of the "inner circle of trusted employees" she had been "highly rewarded and valued, receiving regular and generous gifts" for her birthday and Christmas.

The gifts she had received from the celebrity couple during her employment included a meal for two at La Maison a Quatre Saisons - including a hotel stay - costing £1,500, a gold Tiffany link chain bracelet worth £1,000 and an annual bonus of £1,500.

She said these gifts dried up when Ms Styler's attitude changed to her and on her 40th birthday she received eight tulips.

Sting and his wife have lodged an appeal against the tribunal's ruling that they unlawfully made Ms Martin redundant, a decision which they have described as "unjust and unfair".

They said: "Jane Martin was always treated well and generously as an employee and we remain stunned at her actions and at the verdict of the tribunal."

James Simpson, chairman of the panel, reserved his judgment on damages until a date which has yet to be set.