31 January 2024 , 16:56
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A supermarket cashier has won a five-figure sum after a colleague kicked him in the back "Kung Fu-style".
Lionel Goh accused colleague Mercy Asante of kneeing him in the back whilst working a shift at an Asda superstore in Wallington, Croydon. The checkout worker claimed he was left in pain and needing treatment from his GP following the bizarre attack. Mr Goh initially did not complain, thinking the attack was simply a one off. But he told a South London employment tribunal he was kicked again three weeks later when Ms Asante apparently took offence at a conversation he was having with another co-worker.
He then complained to his bosses, but a tribunal heard supermarket managers did not take the incident seriously and delayed an investigation. The cashier claimed the matter would have been treated differently had a male staff member kicked a woman. In a statement Mr Goh wrote: "I feel that Mercy's behaviour was inappropriate and my concern is that she might be doing this to other colleagues and could potentially cause harm."
Miss Asante did not deny kicking her colleague, but instead claimed the two were "always hitting and punching each other as a joke" and said she was going to "Kung Fu him" over a conversation he was having which she believed had left her upset. Addressing the tribunal, Mr Goh claimed he was jolted forward by the kick and felt a sharp pang of pain, before Miss Asante swore at him while walking away. The tribunal awarded Mr Goh £29,465 compensation, including £18,500 for injury to feelings.
It was heard in June last year how Mr Goh had won his case against Asda, with the payout figure announced in a judgment this week. In the hearing a judge ruled Asda's investigation had been 'seriously flawed' and the supermarket had discriminated against him on the grounds of his gender.
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