Williams v Leeds United FC

The High Court has dismissed a claim for wrongful dismissal by Gywn Williams, the former Technical Director of Leeds United FC. Mr Williams was dismissed for gross misconduct in July 2013 following the discovery that he had in March 2008 forwarded a sexually explicit email attachment to a manager at a different club.

Mr Justice Lewis held that Mr Williams had committed gross misconduct, and that the club was entitled to accept his repudiatory breach of contract notwithstanding that it was discovered five years later, at a time when Mr Williams and the club were in dispute over the length of notice to which he was entitled having just been selected for redundancy. The Judge also held that the club was entitled to justify the dismissal by reference to evidence, discovered only after Mr Williams’ dismissal, that he had also sent the offensive attachment to a further male friend outside the club, and to a receptionist at the club.

The full judgment can be read here: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2015/376.html 

Fraser Campbell (instructed by Adam Morallee and Ben Polak of Brandsmiths) appeared for Leeds United.