Cleaner loses sex discrimination case after claiming male colleague deliberately left ‘explosion of excrement’ in disabled toilet for her to clean
- Jenniene Talbot represented herself at an employment tribunal in Exeter, Devon
A female cleaner has lost her sex discrimination case after claiming a male colleague 'deliberately' splashed poo over toilets so she could clean them.
Jenniene Talbot worked as a cleaner at Par Market – one of Britain's largest indoor markets in St Austell, Cornwall – from June 1 to 22 last year.
During an employment tribunal hearing, in which Ms Talbot represented herself, it was alleged that her colleague Antony Trethewey had felt insulted that as a 'grown woman' she was doing her job 'properly' and in response 'deliberately splashed/fouled the toilets'. .
Mrs Talbot said she was constantly tasked with scrubbing 'straw-filled toilets' and resigned in disgust after three weeks.
Although she tried to sue the market for sex discrimination and harassment, her case was dismissed after the tribunal ruled she had no evidence Mr Trethewey was responsible.
The hearing in Exeter, Devon, heard there are two sets of toilets on the market that are 'in heavy use throughout the day'. The photo shows a general view of Par Market
Dismissing her case, Employment Judge Ann Goraj said: 'The Tribunal is not satisfied that Ms Talbot has established the factual basis of her case, namely that Mr Trethewey placed faeces in/deliberately spread faeces/contaminated the respondent's toilet .'
The hearing in Exeter, Devon, heard that there are two sets of toilets on the market that are 'in heavy use throughout the day' so cleaners are required to check them regularly.
During her short tenure at the market, Ms Talbot raised several complaints about the cleanliness and hygiene issues at the site, highlighting a 'perceived inability' of male colleagues to clean as required.
During one shift, Ms Talbot was shocked to find an 'explosion of faeces' in the site's disabled toilet and blamed colleague Mr Trethewey for leaving the mess.
Over the next few shifts, the cleaner continued to find dirty toilets and baby changing tables and raised her concerns with her boss.
She told him she had worked in pubs, clubs, campsites and restaurants but had never come across so many 'disgusting' and 'messy' toilets as on the market.
During one shift, Ms Talbot was shocked to find an 'explosion of faeces' in the venue's disabled toilet (stock photo)
During a shift in mid-June, Ms Talboy watched her colleague go to the toilets and come out 10 minutes later, telling her that he had just looked in the toilet and that everything was fine.
The cleaner then went inside and was shocked to discover what she described as a toilet splashed with 'sloppy poo' and complained about Mr Trethewey again.
On June 22, Ms Talbot sent a 'very emotional text' to her boss saying she was constantly encountering '***-filled toilets with no tissue', which she also blamed on Mr Trethewey.
She told bosses she felt “threatened” and “anxious” and would no longer be able to work in the market. Mr Trethewey strongly denied the allegations.