Tribunal: Smoking remark to a black woman was racist

ASKING if a black woman had been "smoking something" was racist, a tribunal ruled.

- By Will Rickman

Any "reasonable person" would be offended by the remark due to the "stereotypical view" of "a black person with dread-locks smoking drugs", said judge Rachel Wedderspoon.

Her ruling came in the case of Gemma Spencer, a black administrator who sued her employers for race discrimination and harassment after she was dismissed.

She has now won £35,109 in compensation. Ms Spencer also won other claims of discrimination, harassment related to race, victimisation and pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

Other claims made by the mother including unfair dismissal were dismissed.

The admin worker told a panel she had her hair in braids when director Mark Kelly asked her line manager if she had been "smoking something" after they perceived she made an error.