Dr 'sue' | Tribunal 'exterminates' complaints about boss's Dalek mug

A support worker who launched legal claims after a manager used a Doctor Who-themed mug, which referenced “exterminating someone”, has lost his case against his employer.

A Sheffield Employment Tribunal found that the mug “was not put there deliberately” by Alan Wordsworth during a meeting in June 2024 and had “nothing whatsoever to do with any health and safety concerns” raised by the claimant, Joshua Aderemi, against care provider Hesley Group.

The mug featured an image of the infamous Dalek villains, with text referencing their iconic line: “You may think that I am listening but, in my head, I am thinking of exterminating someone”.

“The mug was on the table during the meeting on 28 June, but it had not been placed there deliberately, and the wording on the mug was not targeted at the claimant,” the panel said.