A charity's legal defence of a racial discrimination claim was 'so riddled with incompetence, inaccuracy and error' that the claimant has been awarded aggravated damages, the Gazette learned this week.


Cancer Research (UK) has been accused of 'wasting thousands of pounds' defending the claim.



Arkadia Petryk, acting manager of a Cancer Research shop in Tunbridge Wells, was awarded £6,500 in damages against the charity after disciplinary proceedings were brought against her which the tribunal found to be unreasonable.



Petryk accused the charity of wasting resources defending the claim which could have been spent on a cancer cure.



A spokeswoman for Cancer Research said: 'Policy and procedures have been rectified since the incident... We will not condone discrimination in our recruitment or employment practices.'



Jonathan Rayner