AN engineering firm has won in a disability tribunal brought by a former Redditch-based employee.

Laranca Engineering, of Earlswood, a specialist manufacturing firm, had originally lost a preliminary hearing in December 2011 brought by former engineering labourer Anthony Somner.

After being dismissed months after joining the firm, Mr Somner, of Headless Cross, lodged a claim for disability discrimination, accusing Laranca’s management of making no reasonable adjustments at work to help with his osteoarthritis. Mr Somner said he suffered from the condition in both knees and being expected to stand to work his machine worsened his illness.

Mr Somner took forward his claim to Birmingham Employment Tribunal on February 23 where the tribunal unanimously rejected his claims on the grounds of contradictions with his original statement and that Mr Somner failed to disclose his condition to his ex-employers.

The tribunal also heard from the firm’s lawyer, employment specialist Sally Morris, who said Mr Somner had in fact been dismissed due to a consistently poor attitude and unacceptable performance. Ms Morris also verified that Mr Somner, who was only employed by Laranca Engineering for five months, had verbally accepted that the firm were unaware he was disabled or that he suffered from osteoarthritis.