A judge has dismissed the case of a private school headmaster who argued that the stress from his dismissal hindered his golf performance. This decision came after it was revealed that his golf handicap had actually improved.
Stephen Mellor, aged 72, alleged that his firing in March from Kensington Park School in Bayswater, west London had a negative impact on his golf game. However, it was discovered that he had actually enhanced his handicap since leaving the role.
Mellor contended that at the time of his dismissal, he met the criteria to be considered legally disabled under the Equality Act due to his inability to fulfill the duties of a vice-captain at a local golf club.
The Times reported that the former headteacher, who was fired after just 18 months, later conceded to not having sought professional help for his condition, which he admitted was self diagnosed.
Despite insisting his golf game had taken a hit due after being forced to relinquish his post, he appeared to have kept up and even improved at his main hobby, with his handicap improving from 23 to 18 last year.
Mr Mellor was suspended in September 2023 by the £36,600-a-year independent school following allegations of misconduct, including his promotion of a ‘favourite’ male teacher to assistant head.
He told an employment tribunal he had been branded as ‘old school’ and forgetful by Benjamin Tan, the chairman of governors.
Mr Mellor was sacked the following March and is seeking damages for discrimination and harassment. He said the remarks, made at a meeting he had not attended, were ageist.
Stephen Mellor, 72, was dismissed from Kensington Park School last March following allegations of misconduct against him
Contrary to his claims that his golf had deteriorated since leaving his position, Mr Mellor’s handicap improved from 23 to 18 after stepping down
The tribunal heard that Mr Mellor was forced to miss six meetings at Alton Golf Club in Hampshire, where he was vice-captain.
He also was absent from meetings at St Nicholas’ School, where he was chairman of governors.
Despite insisting his GP had signed him off work, the headteacher admitted he hadn’t shown a doctor’s letter to the school and had elected to ‘talking therapy’ with friends rather than seeking professional help.
While accepting that the responsibility of the school lay with him as headmaster, Mr Mellor nonetheless insisted there were ‘circumstances’.
‘I don’t think any of it was my fault’, he said.
Mr Mellor’s representative, Anisa Niaz-Dickinson, said he had suffered from a ‘serious mental impairment’ from his six-month suspension.
She added that as well as ‘feeling suicidal for a prolonged period’, Mr Mellor reported being regularly exhausted, including falling asleep while watching TV, which was affecting both is marriage and friendships.
Mr Mellor insisted he had been subject to ageist discrimination and harassment by the school governors, who he said had branded him ‘old school’ and ‘forgetful’
But Richard Hignett, who represented the school, said that former headteacher had failed to seek proper therapy for his condition.
He suggested that had Mr Mellor been suffering from ‘depression and anxiety’ he wouldn’t have pursued his golf, which had improved rather than deteriorated since he was forced to resign.
His case was thrown out by Judge Jeremy Burns, who ruled that Mr Mellor had not demonstrated sufficiently that he had met the threshold for a disability.
A further hearing in November will consider Mr Mellor’s claims of harassment and age discrimination.
