James Hazell tribunal: Editor says he sacked presenter due to swearing

James Hazell denies using a swear word to describe his colleagues

A BBC editor has told a tribunal he had no option other than to sack a radio presenter who allegedly used a swear word to describe two colleagues.

Peter Cook said BBC Radio Suffolk presenter James Hazell had breached his contract by using "the C-word", and also allegedly threatening the same two colleagues not to complain about him.

Mr Hazell, who has taken the BBC to tribunal, denies both allegations.

He claims the BBC discriminated against him because of his depression.

Cross-examining Mr Cook, Mr Hazell asked him why he had not resolved the issues between him and the two colleagues through a mediation process.

Mr Cook responded: "Because, in my view, you had broken our Code of Conduct to such an extent that it wouldn't have been appropriate for you to continue working for the BBC."

Previous warning

Mr Hazell, who is from Ipswich, worked for the BBC from April 2006 until August 2021.

The two colleagues involved in the issues which led to his contract being terminated were a producer called Katharine Park and a woman referred to as Employee A.

The tribunal heard Mr Hazell had previously been warned about his conduct towards Employee A, due to comments and behaviour of a sexual nature.

These included "a text about masturbation", "touching her leg and commenting on the fact she had shaved", and a "comment to her about having an erection in a station car".

At the time, in August 2019, Mr Cook wrote an email to Mr Hazell saying: "Any repeat of this behaviour or inappropriate comments would be taken very seriously and could ultimately lead to the BBC ending your contract."

The email from Mr Cook, who is executive editor of BBC Radio Suffolk, also noted that Mr Hazell had apologised to Employee A and "she has accepted your apology".

Mr Cook said in his witness statement: "This behaviour would have been serious enough to terminate James' contract at that time but I accepted his mitigation and contrition."

James Hazell presented the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio Suffolk

The tribunal has heard that problems then arose again in the summer of 2021.

Mr Cook said in his witness statement that there were "increasingly strained relationships" in Mr Hazell's team, "in particular" between him, Ms Park and Employee A.

Mr Hazell allegedly made the "C-word" comment about his team members when speaking to a colleague called Connor Bennett.

The alleged comment had been relayed to Employee A and Ms Park by the time they met Mr Hazell in a pub on 1 July 2021.

The pub meeting had been an attempt to resolve the issues between them, the tribunal heard, but Mr Hazell then allegedly threatened the two women not to complain about him.

'Negativity'

Mr Cook said he investigated both allegations and terminated Mr Hazell's contract as a result of these matters alone, rather than any other issues.

However, Mr Hazell claims his contract was terminated because of what the BBC perceived to be "negativity" in his behaviour, which resulted from his depression.

He therefore claims he was discriminated against on the grounds of disability, because depression is classed as a disability.

The tribunal continues.