An employment tribunal heard the case against Leanne Large for discriminating against employee Tonie Bond. Bond was reportedly forced to do menial tasks after Large found out that she was of the Islamic faith. Large also tried to paint Bond as a paedophile, and told a customer that they could not have a Muslim employee. Bond was eventually released by the salon. The tribunal ruled in favour of Bond, entitling her to more than £20,000 as compensation.

The former model joined "Lads & Dads Barber" at Colwyn Bay, Wales in 2016. Over the next six months, Bond's treatment at her workplace deteriorated as the owner's daughter discovered her religion. When Large, whose mother owns the barbershop, found out that Bond was a Muslim, she reportedly told a customer that they could not let her work in the shop.

While there was already a person employed to take out the trash, Bond was forced to do the task. She was also forced to clean dog faeces from the shop's parking area. With her job as a hairdresser, Bond was not responsible for the tasks forced upon her.

The shop reportedly got a letter from an upset parent of a 16-year-old boy who claimed that a woman in her 50s made inappropriate comments to him. Large spread the rumour that the woman in her 50s was Bond. Being accused as a paedophile could harm her career. During the hearing, Bond found out that the letter had not actually mentioned her name. Bond told the tribunal that the barbershop should put a notice on their window clearing her name.

Large had also taken videos of Bond walking by the shop on days when she was not working. The videos taken without her knowledge had a paranoid Large claiming that Bond was laughing at them, The Daily Mail reported.

The continued mental stress on Bond led to anxiety and depression. The tribunal stated: "The discriminatory conduct led to the claimant's disability, her extended sickness absence, (and) her continuing ill health." Since Bond had been ill for a long time, she was unable to go to work. Her employer released her in July 2018.

The tribunal found the employers guilty of "acts of direct discrimination on the grounds of perceived religion."

As compensation, the former employers have to pay Bond £19,352 in damages, as well as nearly £1,000 in unpaid wages.

Muslim woman in niqab
A 25-year-old Muslim woman was compared to Batman when she walked into a shop in west London wearing the Muslim niqab. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images