HARROW CLUB WORKER LOSES APPEAL OVER SACKING FOR GIVING TEEN TISSUE

Damien Burke has lost an appeal against his dismissal from the Harrow Club after he gave a damp tissue to an injured teenager, an Employment Appeal Tribunal in London has ruled. Burke worked at the club's Old Oak branch in East Acton for 13 years before the Harrow Club dismissed him in March 2024 for gross misconduct. The club said he had given first aid without training and failed to report an accident. Representing himself, Burke argued that handing an injured child a tissue was a "normal thing" to do, but the judge ruled the act could be regarded as first aid, upholding an employment tribunal's earlier rejection of his claim.

The case stemmed from a fight between two youths at the club in July 2023, which Burke initially tried to calm down, the tribunal heard. The dispute moved outside, where one youth fell to the ground before Burke intervened, and later continued away from the club, where one youth punched the other in the face, knocking out a tooth. When the injured teenager returned to the club, Burke gave him a tissue to wipe blood from his face. The Harrow Club said this placed children in his care at risk and amounted to gross misconduct. Burke, who coached a trophy-winning youth football team, described himself as "indignant" at the accusation.

The Harrow Club was founded in 1883 by Old Harrowians linked to Harrow School. It was established to support disadvantaged children in poor areas of London and still runs branches to help young people in the capital. The Employment Appeal Tribunal's ruling upholds the original decision, bringing Burke's legal challenge to an end. No further appeal has been reported.