Co-op lorry driver wins £19k after female colleague accused her of ‘flashing’ her breasts to get ahead at work

A CO-OP lorry driver has won a £19k payout after a female colleague accused her of “flashing” her breasts to get what she wanted. Charlotte Brooks was left feeling “humiliated” after co-worker Kerry Dawson accused her of performing sexual favours to get her own way. Charlotte Brooks was left feeling ‘humiliated’ after co-worker Kerry Dawson accused her of performing sexual favours to get her own way Credit: Instagram/charlotteyybrooksy Charlotte said that the ‘bullying’ continued for two years Credit: Instagram/charlotteyybrooksy Miss Dawson told the HGV driver just because she has “tits she thinks she can flash them at anybody and anyone will do anything for her”. Charlotte said that the “bullying” continued for two years, and Co-op agreed the comments amounted to sexual harassment. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Dawson was sacked, but later successfully appealed against the decision. It meant she was then able to return to work, leaving her victim anxious and distressed. Charlotte has now won £19,042 for claims of sexual harassment and direct sex discrimination after suing Co-op. An employment tribunal held in Exeter, Devon, heard she started working for Co-op on January 17, 2022, as an apprentice lorry driver. Ms Dawson was an apprentice driver at the same time. While on a training course in Bristol in July 2022, Ms Dawson alleged to instructors Charlotte would perform oral sex to get what she wanted. Most read in The Sun She was “very upset and gutted” when she found out this comment had been made about her. Charlotte then told her manager about it, but did not want to attend mediation because she thought this would not solve the issue. She added that there were more instances of bullying from Ms Dawson and that the situation escalated. In October 2024, she was sent a voice note by Ms Dawson which was later deemed to be “inappropriate” by Co-op bosses. It said: “Just because she’s got fucking tits she thinks she can flash them at anybody and anyone will do anything for her.” Charlotte submitted a grievance and it was investigated by Co-op. The company found that Ms Dawson’s conduct between June 2022 and October 2024 had been “inappropriate”. During a meeting, disciplinary manager John Rowan said: “You [Ms Dawson] freely admitted during our meeting that what you did was wrong and that you had been stupid in your actions.” He said that as she had admitted what she had done and the company had a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to this behaviour, she would be dismissed. Ms Dawson appealed, and the decision to dismiss her was overturned and replaced with a written warning. Bruno Krssak, who conducted the appeal, said that there was a ‘historical conflict’ between the two colleagues. Mr Krssak added that the original decision had been “procedurally flawed”. The original meeting failed to give Ms Dawson relevant information prior to the hearing and that there was “hearsay evidence”, he claimed. Charlotte was told that Ms Dawson would be returning to the workplace in January 2025, with no discussion of safeguarding arrangements for her. After hearing this news, Charlotte became so ‘distressed’ that she signed herself off as unfit for work due to work-related stress. She then remained off work until February. Employment Judge Paula Volkmer said that Ms Dawson’s comments amounted to sexual harassment. She said that the appeal process had not taken into account the seriousness of Ms Dawson’s conduct and the effect on Charlotte. EJ Volkmer said there was a “theme of minimising the harassment of a sexual nature”. She added: “I consider that if the conduct had been between members of the opposite sex, Mr Krssak would have taken it more seriously.”