Boss sacked after slapping Emmerdale star's bottom

AN EXECUTIVE at a leading food company has lost an employment tribunal after it heard he slapped the bottom of ex-Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten on stage at an industry black-tie event.

- By Charlie Bradley

Steve Jones, who was a health and safety chief for Pladis which owns McVitie's biscuits and Jacob's crackers — claimed the star had given him "permission" and said "go for it".

At the time he was accepting an award for his firm. But a video of the slap was seen by a female colleague and led to him being reported and sacked for "violating morality and decency".