Part-time Santa sued day-time job company for damages after boss branded him a ‘paedo’ for Christmas role
A PART-time Santa sued for damages after his boss at his day job kept calling him a “paedo”.
Carl Graham was mocked for his grotto appearances by sales manager Jon Gill.
He claimed he was the butt of jokes for three years at the car dealership in Liverpool.
After he was sacked in 2020 for fighting, Mr Graham sued for sexual orientation discrimination — and sought £44,000 damages.
He said: “I was called paedo, kiddy fiddler… the daily abuse about my sexual preferences has destroyed my life.”
But Mr Graham lost his case when a Birmingham tribunal ruled calling someone a paedophile was not a comment on their sexuality.
The panel also found Mr Graham was “prone to hyperbole” after he said: “This is the most horrific abuse anyone has suffered in employment history.”
While the abuse was regular it was not daily, it ruled.
There was also said to be a culture of “vile and abusive” comments at the business and Mr Graham was an “enthusiastic participant”.
Mr Gill got a final warning for his behaviour.
He said: “At the time, I saw it as banter.
“Now, I realise it was unacceptable.”