An award-winning BBC producer who lost a claim for age discrimination has been told to pay £10,000 costs

An award-winning BBC producer who lost compensation claims for discrimination because of age and beliefs has been told to pay £10,000 costs after being accused of failing to provide sufficient details of his finances.

Devan Maistry, of Edgbaston, was 59 when he made his allegations, telling a Birmingham employment tribunal he suffered discrimination by the BBC for six years.

Mr Maistry, an experienced print and TV journalist, worked for the BBC Asian Network. He produced programmes which were broadcast in Hindu/Urdu, Bengali and other languages.

His documentary series, “Reports from the Domestic Front,” won a silver medal in the interactive category at the BBC’s Radio and Music Festival.

He also gained an “Unsung Hero” award for his work on social action and religious festival issues.

But the previous tribunal hearing rejected his compensation claims, which also included harassment and victimisation.

At the latest hearing, the BBC applied for costs against Mr Maistry after complaining he should not have brought the case in the first place and his conduct in presenting the case had been unreasonable.

He had been warned his case was likely to fail, it was said.

The BBC also accused Mr Maistry of failing to provide sufficient details of his income and outgoings to help decide whether the costs claim should be approved.

Mr Maistry provided details from his bank balance at the latest hearing.

Tribunal judge Miss Helen Harding agreed with the BBC that Mr Maistry had not been open about his income but said documents eventually forwarded revealed he had loans.

It appeared Mr Maistry had limited means and the tribunal decision was he should pay costs of £10,000.

Miss Harding stressed, however, tribunals did not normally award costs against claimants who lost their cases and that they were approved only where it had been established that the claimant had been unreasonable.

“To award costs is the exception rather than the rule and I would not want to discourage people from making tribunal claims in the future,” she added.

Article from Birmingham Mail