Liverpool FC chauffeur loses Employment Tribunal claim

A former chauffeur at Liverpool Football Club has lost his Employment Tribunal claim for “whistleblowing” and unfair dismissal after he resigned from his job last year claiming that he had been hounded out of his job.

Mr Dave Sloan, 50, a former police officer and life-longer supporter of Liverpool Football Club, commenced employment with the football club in 2009. When he first started working for the club he acted principally as Managing Director Christian Purslow’s driver but, after Mr Purslow left the club in October 2010, the nature of Mr Sloan’s job changed. He believed that he had been demoted as he was asked to carry out ‘menial’ tasks around the Melwood training ground and objected to this. In particular, he felt that Ray Haughan, the player-club liaison manager, treated him like a “skivvy”.

Problems then escalated for Mr Sloan after he became embroiled in a fight at the football club’s Christmas party when he confronted the club’s Managing Director Ian Ayre over his job situation and allegations that he had made that Mr Haughan was touting match tickets for personal gain. He was subjected to disciplinary action as a result and resigned because of the disciplinary procedure. He subsequently made an Employment Tribunal claim for constructive unfair dismissal and detriment due to protected disclosure and the case came before the Liverpool Employment Tribunal last month.

The Employment Tribunal ruled against Mr Sloan in his claims, holding that Mr Sloan’s actions at the Christmas party more than justified disciplinary action and that it did not believe that he had been subjected to any detriment because of the protected disclosure that he had made, principally as there was no evidence that Mr Haughan was aware that Mr Sloan had made the whistleblowing allegations.

A spokesman for the club stated after the judgment was released:: “We welcome the decision by the employment tribunal who dismissed Mr Sloan’s claims that he suffered a detriment, and was constructively dismissed. As the case has now concluded, we have no further comment to make.”

Please note that Redmans were not in any way associated with this case