'Orwellian' | Norwich City steward unfairly dismissed over WhatsApp memes

A Norwich City steward who mistakenly sent memes about Russell Brand to a colleague on WhatsApp has won his unfair dismissal case, after an employment tribunal ruled the club’s approach was “riddled with unfairness” and criticised its “Orwellian” interpretation of policy.

The claimant, Gennaro Romano, worked for Norwich City Football Club for 12 years while also employed full-time at Royal Mail. He began as a safety steward in 2011 and was later promoted to Section Head, regularly taking on additional security shifts at the club.

In September 2023, Romano mistakenly sent two images to Neil Hunter, the club’s Head of Academy Operations. One image showed Nicola Sturgeon holding a placard while the second was a photo of Diane Abbott with a caption, both of which referenced fictional interactions with Russell Brand.

At the time, allegations of sexual assault against Brand were widely reported in the media.