Met failed to properly consider worker’s condition before firing him over inappropriate comments to female colleagues, tribunal finds
12 March 2026
A Metropolitan Police worker who made sexual jokes to colleagues, including comments about playing with his ‘joystick’, has won an unfair dismissal claim after a tribunal ruled his behaviour was linked to his ADHD.
A Croydon tribunal heard that quality control officer Martin Madden, who worked in the Police National Computer Bureau for more than 20 years, was dismissed for gross misconduct after making a series of sexualised remarks to female colleagues at work.
The tribunal found that the Metropolitan Police failed to properly consider medical evidence about Madden’s ADHD when deciding to dismiss him for gross misconduct.
ADHD: how far should businesses go?
Employment judge Liz Ord said Madden’s condition meant his social boundaries were “blurred”, adding that he “did not appreciate that his actions were inappropriate in the workplace”.
The tribunal upheld Madden’s claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination arising from disability. However, his additional claims of indirect discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments were dismissed.
A remedy hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
Madden worked for the Metropolitan Police as a quality control officer in the...
Police concluded that allegations that actor Kim Soo-hyun dated late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor were false and partially based on AI-fabricated material, according to an arrest warrant...