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Hardwick sexual discrimination allegations dismissed | Hardwick sexual discrimination allegations dismissed |
(35 minutes later) | |
The restaurant run by celebrity chef Stephen Terry has been cleared of allegations of sexual discrimination. | The restaurant run by celebrity chef Stephen Terry has been cleared of allegations of sexual discrimination. |
Chloe Maisey made 21 claims about The Hardwick, Abergavenny, which have been dismissed by an employment tribunal in Cardiff. | |
Mr Terry and other members of staff had always maintained there was "banter" in such a "pressurised" environment. | |
He said the claims were "devastating" and Ms Maisey had never raised any of her issues with him. | He said the claims were "devastating" and Ms Maisey had never raised any of her issues with him. |
Ms Maisey, 19, of Merthyr Tydfil, spent just three months as a trainee pastry chef at The Hardwick last year and told the tribunal she was initially "delighted" to be working at the restaurant. | |
But she said there were no female changing rooms and she was forced to change in front of men. | But she said there were no female changing rooms and she was forced to change in front of men. |
She claimed staff made comments about her body and one man threatened to slap her bottom. | She claimed staff made comments about her body and one man threatened to slap her bottom. |
Ms Maisey also alleged she was shut in a work freezer and burnt on the arm with a hot metal tray. | Ms Maisey also alleged she was shut in a work freezer and burnt on the arm with a hot metal tray. |
But sous chef Jamie O'Leary told the hearing allegations, including that he threw a sea bass and a mouse at her, had been "blown out of all proportion". | |
Restaurant owner Mr Terry said Ms Maisey never made any complaints about the way she said she was treated. | |
He told the tribunal: "If she was so distressed about all these incidents then she could have told me about just one of them. | |
"But at no point ever did she tell me about any of these alleged incidents." | |
Mr Terry said the first he heard of any alleged sexual discrimination was when Ms Maisey's mother rang. | |
He asked her to put the allegations in writing but she never did. |