Police officer who claimed he was mocked by colleagues LOSES claim

Born-again Christian police officer who claimed he was mocked by colleagues who called him ‘Father Ted’ and told him the Bible is a ‘pile of nonsense’ LOSES his religious discrimination claim

• Former PC Winston Roderick said he faced discrimination at South Wales Police
• Tribunal dismissed the claim after finding many comments had never been made
• His claim for disability discrimination and constructive dismissal also dismissed

A police officer who claimed he was mocked by colleagues who called him Father Ted and told him the Bible is a ‘pile of nonsense’ has lost his religious discrimination claim. 

Former PC Winston Roderick, who is a born again Christian and pastor in a local church where he conducted a Sunday Service, said he was discriminated against by several of his colleagues whilst working for South Wales Police.

He claimed one mocked him by making the sign of a cross, saying ‘forgive me father’ and making the sound of a church choir in a funny voice.

Another officer allegedly told him he ‘could do with some Jesus’ whilst walking past him and a third said ‘Jesus did not even exist’.

But a tribunal dismissed Mr Roderick’s claim of religious discrimination after finding many of the comments had never been made. 

Mr Roderick also entered a claim for disability discrimination due to his mental health and constructive dismissal but these were also both dismissed. 

Former PC Winston Roderick said he was discriminated against by several of his colleagues whilst working for South Wales Police but a tribunal held in Cardiff (pictured) dismissed his claim of religious discrimination

Mr Roderick – who worked for South Wales Police from 2003 to 2018 when he resigned – claimed Acting PS Karl Emerson referred to him as Father Ted in 2018.

Mr Roderick said he had joined in a conversation about another PC being in the Free Masons and Acting PS Emerson said ‘you can talk, Father Ted’.

Father Ted was the main character of the popular Channel 4 sitcom of the same name which follows three priests living on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland.

But the Employment Tribunal ruled the comment was never made by Acting PS Emerson.

In another complaint, Mr Roderick said PC Ashley Cooper told him ‘Jesus did not even exist and the Bible is a pile of nonsense’.

But the tribunal heard this was more of a debate between believers and non-believers and that Mr Roderick regularly raised religion as a topic of conversation.

Judge Rhian Brace ruled: ‘Mr Roderick was a Christian pastor and would have been used to non-believers dismissing faith in Christianity when seeking to spread the word.

‘Further, we accepted the evidence from some of South Wales Police’s witnesses that Mr Roderick would regularly and routinely bring his faith into conversations in work.

‘Where an individual chooses to take that step, they should not then be offended when others challenge that faith and indicate they do not believe.’

Former PC Roderick also entered a claim for disability discrimination due to his mental health and constructive dismissal but these were also both dismissed (stock image)

Mr Roderick said he was also mocked by PC Scott Edwards who made the sound of a church choir singing and the sign of a cross every time he encountered him.

But the tribunal did not find proof Mr Roderick was repeatedly mocked in such a way.

His other allegation of being told ‘Winston, he could do with some Jesus’ was found to have not happened.

The tribunal dismissed Mr Roderick’s claim of religious discrimination.

Mr Roderick had also claimed he was subject to disability discrimination due to his inability to work and to do all the normal duties of a police officer because of his anxiety and depression.

The tribunal heard he often spent time off work due to mental health illnesses.

The tribunal heard Mr Roderick had complained of being given work that was beyond him due to his illnesses and that the knock-on effect was a feeling of worthlessness and guilt. 

His disability discrimination claim was dismissed as well as his claim against constructive dismissal as the tribunal found his resignation letter mostly focused on a historical frustration at his lack of promotion. 

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