Sting's possible payout to disgruntled chef

May 10, 2007, 11:30 GMT

02/08/2007 - Trudie Styler - © David Gabber / Photorazzi

Sting could pay out record damages for unfairly dismissing his chef.

The singer - real name Gordon Sumner - and his wife Trudie Styler were judged to have broken employment laws by sacking Jane Martin, 41, last April.

In a unanimous verdict, it was ruled Martin was unfairly dismissed on the grounds of her pregnancy and was the victim of sexual discrimination.

Martin's compensation payout will be decided at a hearing on June 8. There is no limit on the amount awarded in sexual discrimination cases meaning Sting could be forced to pay record damages for a case involving a domestic servant.

Styler was branded the "driving force" in Martin's dismissal, and accused of "subterfuge" to get rid of her £28,000-a-year employee.

The employment tribunal were told staff at the couple's Salisbury Lake House estate lived in fear because Styler wanted to "feel royal".

Martin, who worked for the couple for eight years, said she was made to work 14-hour days despite being heavily pregnant.

Once, while seven months pregnant, she claimed she took a train and taxi from Salisbury to London to make soup and a salad for Styler.

She revealed she was also asked to travel to London on several occasions to cook a bowl of pasta for the couple's youngest child - even though there were two nannies, a butler and two housekeepers in the London household

When Martin fell ill during her pregnancy and took time off work, Styler is alleged to have fumed: "Who the f**k does she think she is? She's my chef in the UK. She needs to be available if I need her, or she should rethink her position."

Martin was made redundant after being deemed to be worse than another chef when the pair were assessed on ability, length of service and attendance.

The tribunal described the "scoring" system as a "sham" saying it was designed to ensure Martin couldn't win.

The ruling said: "Mrs Sumner (Styler's married surname) is without doubt the driving force manipulating others to perform her dirty work. When the evidence is looked at holistically, her involvement is clear."

Styler said she was "devastated" by the ruling and plans to launch an appeal.

She insisted: "For Jane Martin to suggest that I, as a mother, discriminated against her because she was pregnant is risible to anyone who knows me. Sting and I have had many staff. Their loyalty and long service suggests the picture of our household which Jane Martin painted, and which the tribunal appears to have accepted, is a travesty."

(C) BANG Media International