Claimant v Portsmouth City Council
Outcome
Individual claims
The tribunal found the claim was not well-founded and had no reasonable prospect of success. The claimant was dismissed and the claim failed on its merits after a two-day hearing.
Facts
Dr Miriam Camara brought an unfair dismissal claim against Portsmouth City Council. The case proceeded to a two-day full merits hearing in July 2025. The claimant represented herself while the respondent was represented by counsel.
Decision
The tribunal dismissed the unfair dismissal claim, finding it was not well-founded and had no reasonable prospect of success. The tribunal also found that the claimant acted unreasonably in the conduct of the litigation and ordered her to pay £1,000 in costs to the respondent.
Practical note
Self-represented claimants risk costs orders where their claim has no reasonable prospect of success and they conduct litigation unreasonably, even in unfair dismissal cases where costs awards are relatively uncommon.
Case details
- Case number
- 1405877/2023
- Decision date
- 3 July 2025
- Hearing type
- full merits
- Hearing days
- 2
- Classification
- contested
Respondent
- Sector
- public sector
- Represented
- Yes
- Rep type
- barrister
Claimant representation
- Represented
- No