Kane Weresch, a bar manager at a Crown and Thistle Hotel in Oxfordshire, was awarded £600 after being called a "batty boy" by another member of staff.

Weresch had sued the chain for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and constructive unfair dismissal. Although the employment tribunal judge rejected both claims, she said she was "quite shocked" that senior staff would call a junior member of staff a "batty boy" and ordered the £600 should be paid for the harrassment Mr Weresch suffered.

The tribunal also heard that other of Mr Weresch's colleagues had made remarks saying that he had Aids.

The solicitor representing Crown and Thistle said that Mr Weresch had been abusive to the man against whom he was making the allegations. The solicitor cited, as an example, an incident when Mr Weresch referred to the man as a "fucking Italian prick".

In rejecting his original claims, the tribunal said that Mr Weresch gave as good as he got.