Forward Joke And Other e-mails At Your Peril

Internet Misuse led to an employee being sacked for gross misconduct after he had already been given notice terminating his employment on the grounds of redundancy.

In the case of Williams v Leeds United Football Club [2015] EWHC 376 Mr Williams was given 12 months notice in accordance with his contract for his employment to end by reason of redundancy.

The Football club then discovered that he had used the club’s e-mail system to forward an e-mail entitled “dirty Leeds” together with pornographic images to a male friend at another football club.

Therefore, the club then dismissed him without notice for gross misconduct.

Mr Williams was not entitled, stated the High Court to his year’s salary, even for the part of the year he had worked, or his redundancy pay.