Compass cleared in gay discrimination hearing

Contract caterer Compass Group did not breach new anti-discrimination legislation in Scotland when it made a restaurant supervisor redundant, an employment tribunal has ruled.

In a test case, Mathew Hearne, 24, had argued before the tribunal in Edinburgh that he had been dismissed from the Tesco in-store restaurant because he was gay.

This would have been a breach of new legislation in Scotland, which bans discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.

But Compass, trading as Eurest of Hamilton, successfully argued that Hearne was made redundant because the restaurant was performing below expectations and he had been one of the last members of staff hired.