A former banking analyst who was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment for making false allegations at an employment tribunal has had his sentence reduced.

Damilare Ajao had brought claims against his former employer, Commerzbank AG. The claims were dismissed in 2022 and the following year the bank lodged a contempt claim in the High Court. Following a trial, 12 of the 13 allegations of contempt were found proved and Ajao was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £150,000 costs.

On appeal, Natalie Lucas, for Ajao, told Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Miles that the sentence was ‘manifestly excessive’ and should have been suspended.

For Commerzbank, Louis Browne KC described the appeal as ‘hopeless’, adding that the High Court judgment was ‘entirely comprehensive’ and the judge 'was satisfied…that the contempt was proven to the required standard and directed himself properly in accordance with the law about which there was no controversy'.

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Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Miles allowed the appeal in relation to one ground but did ‘not consider the finding on this ground had any material impact on the sentence’. The judges dismissed the appeal on all other grounds.

The Court of Appeal found the judge had erred in considering sentencing guidelines for assault, adding that Ajao’s false accusation of sexual harassment was an ‘aggravating feature’ and not the offence.

In an ex-tempore judgment Lewis said: ‘We have considered matters afresh. We agree entirely with the judge that these were very serious contempts. As the judge said, the appellant’s lies were deliberate…and included the giving of false evidence on oath. It represented an attempt to deceive the court into awarding the appellant substantial damages.’

Passing an eight-month sentence for 'very serious contempts', the judges noted Ajao had shown no remorse. 'The appellant made false allegations deliberately and over a period of time and fabricated evidence in order to obtain damages,’ Lewis said, adding that Ajao’s actions ‘struck at the heart of the administration of justice’.

Ajao was sentenced to eight months imprisonment minus the three days he had already served. No order as to costs was made.