A multimillion-pound charitable trust has been accused of conducting a ‘sham’ disciplinary hearing before dismissing its CEO over his beliefs on marriage.
Kenneth Ferguson is suing The Robertson Trust for unfair dismissal and religious discrimination. He was sacked when trust chairwoman Shonaig Macpherson objected to Stirling Free Church, where he is an elder, renting premises owned by the Trust. Macpherson was reportedly ‘incandescent’ when she learned of the arrangement, as the church does not endorse same-sex marriage. An employment tribunal heard that her decision to dismiss Mr Ferguson was made before any disciplinary proceedings had taken place.
Macpherson told a trustee Mr Ferguson’s action ‘equals gross misconduct leading to dismissal’.
Representing Kenneth Ferguson, Mr Thomas Cordrey said: ‘Before you have even spoken to Mr Ferguson, before any disciplinary process has commenced, you decided it was ‘gross misconduct leading to dismissal.’ He added: ‘It was all a sham, wasn’t it? You were just ticking boxes to get you to the position you needed to be in to get rid of Mr Ferguson.’
Macpherson denied the accusation.
The hearing was due to resume at some point this year.
