Ex-BBC journalist claims unfair dismissal
A former BBC sports journalist claims he was unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing.
Ian Stringer was employed by BBC Leicester as a sports journalist in 2008 after he appeared on the BBC’s show The Apprentice.
An employment tribunal in Leicester heard Mr Stringer, who later became the station’s Leicester City reporter, was suspended in 2021 and sacked the following year for what the BBC says was misconduct.
Mr Stringer has brought both an automatic unfair dismissal claim for whistleblowing and an ordinary unfair dismissal claim against the BBC.
On the first day of the hearing, the court was not told in public the nature of the claimed whistleblowing.
Giving evidence Mr Stringer confirmed a 17-page statement was his before he was cross-examined by Jesse Crozier, for the BBC.
The hearing was told how Mr Stringer had been given free use of a BMW 5 series and then an Audi A3 via a company called Total Motion.
'High-end cars'
Mr Crozier listed a number of social media posts in which Mr Stringer, who had tens of thousands of followers, had “promoted” the company.
"The appearance that we see from the Twitter and the cars is you’re receiving high-end cars at zero cost and in response you’re providing promotion to your substantial Twitter following,” said Mr Crozier.
Mr Stringer claimed he was “identifying” rather than promoting the firm and said he received free use of the cars from a late friend who was a director of the firm.
“There was no agreement and there was no quid pro quo,” Mr Stringer told the tribunal.
The tribunal also heard how, in 2021, Mr Stringer contacted Garmin about a charitable run he was planning. His email to the firm mentioned his social media following, the court heard.
The company offered him two watches.
“You were seeking to get free kit from Garmin,” Mr Crozier said. “ This was an attempt to solicit free kit.
“The quid pro quo was if you promote us we will give you free stuff, correct?”
Social media policy
Mr Stringer agreed he had sought charitable donations for the endeavour adding: “I accept it is an email asking for help.”
The tribunal heard how when Mr Stringer was investigated for his conduct he appeared to admit he had breached “various BBC policies and with the benefit of hindsight” accepted a “lapse of judgement”.
In evidence, Mr Stringer said the BBC had not supplied the “level of training” required. He added: “I don't believe what I did was gross misconduct.”
He accused the BBC of having a “changeable” policy on social media use and claimed some senior managers had used swear words in their social media posts.
“The BBC did not seem particularly to have grasped the juggernaut of social media. I would have welcomed a level of management to assist me with these policies.”
The hearing continues.
