Sacked BBC presenter 'stitched up' says lawyer

Jack Murley, from Bodmin, worked with BBC Radio Cornwall from 2019 until 2024

A radio presenter's dismissal from the BBC for breaching social media policies was a "stitch-up", his lawyer has told an employment tribunal.

Jack Murley, from Bodmin, worked with BBC Radio Cornwall from 2019 until 2024, when he was sacked by the corporation.

Nick Toms, representing Mr Murley at the hearing in Exeter, said the dismissal process was not followed correctly.

The former presenter is seeking more than £48,000 in compensation.

From 2022 Mr Murley expressed his views on the BBC's Local Value For All project on social media, which involved changes to local radio stations and newsrooms, across England.

He was taken off air on the 30 June 2023 following a heated conversation with his manager, when they discussed his social media use.

Mr Toms said the disciplinary process was running on an "incredibly tight timetable" and referenced messages from senior BBC managers which called for things to be "wrapped up within a week".

He believed the disciplinary hearing's managers, responsible for overseeing the procedure, were under "pressure" from senior management to deal with the case quickly.

This claim was rejected by the hearing managers who initially viewed the case.

Elena Williams, a HR business manager for the BBC, said social media use was important to the organisation from a "reputational point of view".

On the advice that HR gave to the hearing managers, she said it was "perfectly reasonable" to deem the social media use as "gross misconduct".

Mr Toms referenced messages from another member of HR who he said was "heavily involved" in the case.

He said their messages "expressed the view that it was a slam dunk case" and Mr Toms believed this view showed that it was a "stitch up" against Mr Murley.

The tribunal continues.

'Creative broadcaster'

At a previous tribunal in November 2024, Mr Murley accused the BBC of discriminating against him for being gay and for being a representative of National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

In February employment judge Alastair Smail ruled Mr Murley was not discriminated against for being gay or a union representative.

He said Mr Murley was "a creative broadcaster" but he had been "undisciplined" in "BBC standards terms".

He also concluded that the disciplinary action taken against him "had nothing to do" with Mr Murley's sexuality.