Claimant v F D Copeland & Sons Limited
Outcome
Individual claims
Claim struck out for non-pursuit under rule 47. The claimant failed to attend two hearings (6 March 2025 and 15 December 2025), failed to comply with tribunal directions to explain his non-attendance by 20 March 2025, and despite brief contact in July 2025 did not engage further with the proceedings.
Facts
Mr Chapman brought a whistleblowing claim against F D Copeland & Sons Limited. He failed to attend a case management hearing on 6 March 2025 and did not comply with directions to explain his absence by 20 March 2025. In July 2025 he briefly contacted the tribunal citing email access problems and sent details of alleged protected disclosures, but thereafter ceased all communication. He failed to attend the strike-out hearing on 15 December 2025 and did not respond to attempts by the tribunal clerk to contact him by phone and email.
Decision
The tribunal dismissed the claim in its entirety under rule 47 of the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure. Employment Judge Fowell concluded that the claim had been abandoned or at least not actively pursued, and it was in the interests of justice to dismiss it given the claimant's repeated failures to attend hearings, comply with directions, and maintain contact with the tribunal.
Practical note
Claimants must actively pursue their claims and attend hearings; persistent non-engagement and failure to comply with tribunal directions will result in strike-out under rule 47 even where some brief contact has been made.
Case details
- Case number
- 2303837/2024
- Decision date
- 15 December 2025
- Hearing type
- strike out
- Hearing days
- 1
- Classification
- procedural
Respondent
- Sector
- other
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- barrister
Claimant representation
- Represented
- No