GAY BANKER CASE BACK IN COURT

A gay banker who filed a multi-million Pound discrimination case against a leading international bank is back in court.

Peter Lewis is suing HSBC for around £5 million in compensation because of his firing on the basis of “gross personal misconduct” which he claims was unfair and discriminatory.

The case, which has become fodder for the tabloids, is said to be the biggest gay discrimination claim in Britain’s history.

Lewis, the company’s former head of global equities, was accused by a colleague in 2004 of sexual harassment at the company’s gym – which led to his dismissal.

He has denied the accusation and claims that he was unfairly fired, in part because of his sexuality.

The company claims that Lewis masturbated in a shower at the HSBC gym in front of the co-worker and denies any discrimination in the matter. He in turns says that he was actually harassed by his accuser at the gym.

An employment tribunal in April last year gave Lewis a partial victory, but a subsequent appeals hearing quashed the ruling and ordered that the case be re-heard from the start.