CALLING someone a numpty is acceptable at work, an employment judge has ruled.
The light-hearted jibe could not be discriminatory because it did not have any racial or disability connotations, Judge Richard Nicolle said.
Met Police sergeant Sonny Kalar, who claims he was called a ‘numpty’[/caption]
His decision came in the case of long-serving Met Police sergeant Sonny Kalar, who took offence at the phrase.
He alleged it was used twice by Chief Insp Marlise Davies, from the SO15 Borders Counter Terrorism Command, in a conversation when he was off sick in 2022.
But the judge threw out his claims of race discrimination and harassment, disability discrimination and harassment, victimisation and whistle-blowing detriment.
He said: “We do not consider that the term ‘numpty’ has any racial or disability connotations and, in the context that it was used, in what we considered to be a lighthearted manner, not one which was capable of constituting harassment.
“We acknowledge Mr Kalar may have perceived the comment to be disparaging but consider it relates to his heightened sensitivity.”
The “numpty” allegation was one of 271 made by Mr Kalar — all of them were dismissed.
The officer, who has retired after 30 years in the force, made wide-ranging allegations against senior officers within the Met, claiming there was a witch-hunt against him.
But Judge Nicolle said Mr Kalar labelled virtually every incident as harassment — and said from 2020 he was focused on finding evidence to support his legal claim.
Numpty, dating from the 18th century, was once voted Scotland’s favourite word.
