These included references to colleagues’ weight, using the term “chubs”, chat about “fat club” and fake certificates left in the office commending the “gainer of the week”.
The worker who complained about Mr Ogden was said to have given “as good as she [got]”.
Judge Shergill found there was no real enforcement by managers of expected standards and norms in the workplace, and that some senior staff were part of the problem.
He ruled the firm then did not follow a reasonably fair procedure before it dismissed him in October 2023.
“The claimant had not been pulled up before over comments, and this likely led to a false sense of security in terms of it not being a disciplinary issue,” he said.
“The free-for-all in the office suggested the claimant was the one who was without a chair when the music stopped.
“There was a real sense of him being made an example of, which in the context of the free-for-all office and significant failings in process was unreasonable.”
A further hearing will take place to decide how much compensation Mr Ogden is entitled to.
