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Disabled man spied upon by bosses wins £329,000 payout
Alan Jones, a disabled former Pilkington employee, was dismissed after surveillance raised questions about his illness. After a six-year legal battle supported by Unite, the company agreed to pay him £329,000 in damages and lost earnings. The case highlights concerns over disability discrimination and the use of workplace surveillance.
Why It Matters
Demonstrates how disability can intersect with employment decisions and the potential consequences of monitoring workers, prompting calls for fair treatment and scrutiny of employer practices.
Timeline
7 Events
Pilkington UK Ltd agrees to pay Jones £329,000 in damages and lost earnings
May 14, 2026
After a six-year legal battle supported by Unite, Pilkington UK Ltd agrees to pay Jones £329,000 in damages and lost earnings.
Jones suffers heart attack and undergoes bypass surgery
2024
Jones suffers a heart attack and undergoes a double bypass operation, an episode he attributes in part to the stress of the case.
Pilkington UK's appeal dismissed; discrimination confirmed
2023
Pilkington UK's appeal against the tribunal ruling is dismissed, with the judge upholding that Jones was discriminated against because of his disability.
Jones wins first-tier Employment Tribunal
2021
Jones succeeds at a first-tier employment tribunal in 2021, with the finding that his dismissal was unfair and discriminatory due to his disability.
Pilkington UK Ltd engages surveillance to monitor Jones
October 2019
The company suspected Jones was working while on sick leave and paid surveillance firm Mike India Five Ltd to watch him and his close circle.
Jones is disciplined and dismissed amid surveillance evidence
2019
During a disciplinary hearing for gross misconduct in 2019, Jones learns of the surveillance; the tribunal later notes video evidence of him with a farmer friend, used to argue he was working outside his condition, leading to his dismissal.
Jones joins Pilkington UK Ltd as an apprentice
1983
Alan Jones begins his long tenure with Pilkington UK Ltd by joining as an apprentice in 1983.