Sigmatex UK Ltd

Case Summary

Mr Powell, a European Commercial Manager employed since 2014, was dismissed for gross misconduct on 18 July 2024 following allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate messages sent to junior female colleagues. The tribunal found the claimant's unfair dismissal claim not well founded, dismissing it after finding the employer had a genuine belief in the allegations on reasonable grounds following a proper investigation and that dismissal fell within the band of reasonable responses.

The tribunal found that the respondent had a genuine belief in the claimant's guilt based on reasonable grounds and after carrying out a reasonable investigation into the sexual harassment allegations. The dismissal for gross misconduct fell within the band of reasonable responses open to a reasonable employer in the circumstances, taking into account the nature of the conduct, company policies on bullying and harassment, the impact on the business, and the disciplinary procedure followed.

Use these claim-type pages to compare this decision with other published tribunal cases, outcome patterns, and visible award data.

• •Whether dismissal was for genuine reason of conduct (sexual harassment)
• •Whether employer held genuine belief in guilt on reasonable grounds
• •Whether reasonable investigation was conducted
• •Whether dismissal fell within band of reasonable responses
• •Procedural defects and bias by HR
• •Parity in investigations into comparable incidents
• •Whether mitigation (stress, alcohol dependency, mental health) was properly considered
• •Prior disciplinary record and length of service

1 EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS Claimant: Mr S Powell Respondent: Sigmatex UK Limited Heard at: Manchester ET On: 18,19 December 2025 Before: Employment Judge Rawlinson (sitting alone) Representatives: For the claimant: Mr McNerney, counsel For the respondent: Mrs Shaw, solicitor RESERVED JUDGMENT The claimant‘s claim for unfair dismissal is not well founded and is dismissed. 2 REASONS Introduction 1. The claimant, Mr Steven Powell, commenced employment with the respondent on 6 January 2014 and latterly served as European Commercial Manager within the senior management team, reporting to the CEO, Mr. Paul McMullan. The respondent, Sigmatex (UK) Limited, develops and manufactures carbon fibre textiles for composite material applications. The Respondent employs approximately 147 people and is based in Runcorn, Cheshire. 2. The respondent dismissed Mr. Powell for gross misconduct on 18 July 2024 following allegations of sexual harassment and the sending of inappropriate messages sent to a junior colleague, principally Ms. Katie Stoney (KS). There were also messages discovered that the claimant had sent on separate occasions to another colleague, Ms. Christine Barr (CB), albeit these were of more relevance to the claimant’s initial denial that any other similar messages existed. 3. By way of claim form filed on 18 December 2024, the claimant claims that his dismissal was unfair within section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. The claimant contends and relies upon (in summary) amongst other things procedural defects, bias by HR, the deliberate targeting of him for dismissal for reasons unrelated to his conduct, lack of parity in terms of investigations into comparable incidents and a predetermined outcome, allied to the fact that his mitigation (stress, alcohol dependency, mental health) was not properly …