A well-known local radio presenter was not discriminated against on the basis of his disability when he was sacked by BBC Radio Suffolk, a tribunal has found.

James Hazell, who now presents for Gen X Radio in the county, had claimed that the BBC discriminated against him because of his depression after he was dismissed for ‘using the C-word’ to describe colleagues.

He was also alleged to have threatened two women not to complain about his behaviour.

But employment judge Kevin Palmer, who presided over the hearing at Bury St Edmunds County Court, deemed that BBC editor Peter Cook’s decision was based solely on the two incidents and was unrelated to Mr Hazell’s depression.

The tribunal heard the threats were made at a pub meeting arranged to mend relations between Mr Hazell and the two team members, producer Katharine Park and a woman referred to as Employee A.

Mr Hazell had previously been warned about his conduct towards Employee A due to comments and behaviour of a sexual nature.

However, prior to the pub meeting, the presenter was alleged to have told colleague Connor Bennett ‘my team are being c****’ and the two women had been made aware of the slur.

During the meeting, Mr Hazell was then alleged to have threatened the two women not to complain about him, prompting Mr Cook to investigate the matter and terminate his contract.

Mr Hazell claimed the BBC sacked him because of ‘negativity’ about his behaviour, which resulted from the depression he was experiencing.

However, Mr Palmer said the BBC’s evidence had ‘greatly assisted’ him, adding: “We are therefore satisfied that it was a decision taken on the basis of these two incidents and that was in his mind at the time.

“We do not doubt that he followed an investigation after these incidents were reported to him. We accept that these conclusions were genuinely reached by Mr Cook and genuinely held.”