British businessman 'coughed in face' of staffer during Covid pandemic. Now he will cough up hefty penalty

At the start of the Covid pandemic, a British businessman who also happens to be the dad of a rugby star deliberately coughed on the face of a disabled female employee.

Now, a tribunal has asked him to cough up more than 26,000 pounds($33,710) in damages to the woman.

Who is the businessman who coughed in face of staffer?

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The Welsh businessman in question is Kevin Davies, the owner of Cawdor Cars, a company that deals in cars and property. He is also the father of Gareth Davies, the British Lions and Wales rugby star.

What did Kevin Davies do to the female employee?

Just days before the first Covid lockdown in Britain, 62-year-old Kevin Davies coughed on purpose on the face of the female employee.

This happened after she had asked colleagues to keep social distancing with her, as she is an arthritis patient who also had an auto-immune condition.

Davies made fun of her and, according to an employment tribunal that heard the case, "coughed in her direction deliberately and loudly", saying she was being ridiculous.

The incident happened a week before the first Covid lockdown, on March 17, 2020.

The woman had worked for Davies' company in the property division from 2017 to 2020. After the coughing incident, she resigned.

What did the tribunal say?

The employment tribunal judge condemned the gross behaviour of the businessman.

“She resigned at least in part because she was victimised; this was a major and significant factor in her decision. She felt that she was being eased out partly because of her complaints. She was correct,” said the tribunal judge Tobias Vincent Ryan.

The payout ordered by the judge amounted to £26,438.84. Cawdor Cars will pay £18,000 in damages "for injury to feelings". Davies will pay £3,841.94 for unfair dismissal and £4,596.90 in interest, as per the judgement.

What did the woman say about the coughing incident?

The woman said she was a nervous wreck after the incident.

"He knew of my medical condition. He knew I had no immune protection because of the medication I had to take, and he deliberately coughed in my face," she said after the fine was announced by the tribunal.

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"I was shaking. I'm not a silly, fluffy person. I've had to put up with a lot in my life, but it really got me," she added.

The businessman's son Gareth Davies, according to reports, is also called Gareth Cawdor because of his links with his father's business.

Gareth has 77 international caps for Wales and has twice toured with the British and Irish Lions, The Guardian said in a report.

(With inputs from agencies)