£6,000 win for female bouncer at gay club 'bullied for being straight'

A female bouncer at a gay nightclub was yesterday awarded £6,000 damages in a landmark case after claiming she was bullied by her boss for being heterosexual.

Sharon Legg, a married motherof-four, fought her case under legislation brought in to protect gay, lesbian and bisexual workers from discrimination.

The 33-year-old is believed to be the first heterosexual to sue for harassment under the 2003 law.

She started work at Dream in Bournemouth in May 2005 and was promoted to head of security a year later by her boss Scott Rhodes.

However, he repeatedly mocked her as a "breeder" - a derogatory term in the gay community - she told an employment tribunal.

Door staff also refused to obey her instructions and constantly made life difficult for her, said Mrs Legg.

Matters came to a head in June last year - a month after her promotion - when she was sacked without warning after a dispute with a doorman.

Mrs Legg sued club owners Rubyz Limited and was awarded £3,000 for injury to feelings due to harassment and £3,222 for unfair dismissal because the company did not follow proper procedures.

"I didn't care about the money," she said after the hearing in Southampton. "I told my solicitor I wouldn't care if I only got five pence.

"I made this complaint for gay people, straight people, anyone who has ever been harassed.

"I'm like a bulldog - I don't let go. I am friends with a lot of gay people and have had quite a lot of support from the gay community.

"I just think there are a few people who have a preference for their own kind."

Her barrister, Sarah Courtney, said she believes it is the first time a heterosexual employee has used the sexual orientation regulations.

"The legislation was brought in to prevent gay and lesbian people from being harassed," she added. "This was an unusual case."

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Nick King, director of Rubyz Limited, may appeal against the tribunal ruling.

"We accept Sharon was dismissed without proper procedures being followed," he said. "But we have zero tolerance towards any kind of discrimination."

Mrs Legg said her ordeal began when Mr Rhodes started working at the club, now called Rubyz. "Everything was fine until then," she added. "He immediately promoted me, but then started saying, 'Urgh, you're straight' in passing.

"But he would say it in a jovial way and with a smirk - some might see it as banter.

"In the beginning, I just laughed it off. Then he started saying, 'Urgh, you're a breeder' and that really started to grate.

"If I was saying, 'Urgh, you're gay' I don't think he would have stood it.

"But he was my manager and I was the only straight woman in a gay environment, so I didn't know who to tell.

"It was like I was supposed to put up with it. I also found that other members of staff weren't listening to me or following my instructions.

"I went into work one day and they basically said, 'It isn't working out - see you'.

"That was it - I was given no reason for being sacked.

"There is law that protects all sexual orientations. It shouldn't matter whether you are heterosexual, gay or bi - no one should be harassed at work."