Sacked wife wins payout in ‘ageist’ husband claim | UK | News

An employment tribunal has ordered Tim Belson, 72, to compensate ex Eleanor for firing her from his upmarket jewellery business as their relationship fell apart.

It is one of four cases Mrs Belson, 61, has been involved in against him since they split two and a half years ago.

Mr Belson served as a Captain in the 1 Gloucestershire Regiment for 10 years, carrying out covert operations in Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s, while simultaneously being a member of the British Fencing team from 1971 to 1981.

He competed in the individual and team epee events at the 1976 Summer Olympics and was crowned National Epee Champion in 1975 and 1978.

He married Eleanor in 2009 and she worked as book-keeper at his jewellery business in Hatton Garden, central London.

The couple lived in a £1.2million flat by the Thames in Wapping, East London, but their relationship began to sour with Mr Belson accusing his wife of an affair with an elderly neighbour.

The tribunal heard that in the summer of 2021 Mrs Belson and the neighbour bought a £1.2million flat together in the same apartment building just three doors from the marital home.

However, the hearing was told Mr Belson was unaware of the purchase and at work they began protracted settlement discussions as part of her exit from the firm as divorce proceedings began.

But in 2022, when Mr Belson caught wind of the purchase, negotiations were derailed as he brought forward her exit from the company by sacking her immediately. He claimed she had been made redundant, but Mrs Belson began tribunal proceedings in April last year claiming Mr Belson had been “ageist” in ending their marriage.

She believed he was motivated to get rid of her from his business because he had found love with a “younger woman”.

Mrs Belson also accused her ex of “criminal intention” by alleging he lost £91,500 belonging to a disabled person by investing it.

Police were involved but dropped their investigation, with Mr Belson saying he simply held the money in his account for a time then moved it.

The tribunal revealed details about the married couple’s “very acrimonious” divorce. However, Mrs Belson’s claims of age, disability and marital status discrimination as well as whistle-blowing detriments all failed.

The tribunal ruled it was actually her who left the marriage and that Mr Belson’s “younger” new girlfriend is in fact older than Mrs Belson.

But she won her claim of unfair dismissal for which she has now been awarded £8,922.50 in compensation.

Deciding on the award, the panel chaired by Employment Judge Holly Stout said: “Between the summer of 2021 and the termination of [Mrs Belson’s] employment the relationship between [her] and Mr Belson (in all its respects: marital, personal and work) broke down – in our judgment, irretrievably.”

It added: “At this hearing, they …argued about almost every point of the evidence. They have been unable as yet to reach an amicable settlement in relation to their divorce even though their split took place 2.5 years ago.

“[Mrs Belson] has brought not only these legal proceedings against Mr Belson, but also has brought or supported at least three other sets of legal proceedings that we have heard about.”