Man taunted for 'gay little shorts' to be paid $17,000

A former brothel-owner, accused in 2008 of kidnapping his brothel manager, must pay more than $17,000 after sexually harassing an employee and referring to his "gay little shorts".

Graeme Edwards, owner of Auckland Mexican restaurant El Centro, formerly owned a high-end Sydney escort agency, Boardroom Escort Agency.

He faced Employment Relations Authority proceedings this month. In a decision just made public, a former El Centro manager in his mid-20s, who worked for Mr Edwards for three weeks last July, was awarded more than $16,000 in sexual harassment compensation, reimbursement of lost and unpaid wages, and legal costs. El Centro Ltd was also ordered to pay $750 to the Crown for breaching the Employment Relations Act.

Mr Edwards started harassing the man on account of his sexuality, the decision says. Mr Edwards had a crude nickname for him, labelled him a "faggot", and told others not to bend over in front of him.

At one point the man was chastised after he rearranged the restaurant setup, Mr Edwards saying "You come in here with your .... gay little shorts and turn this place into a place for faggots".

The man was eventually dismissed when Mr Edwards abused him in front of staff and customers, saying the man could not "manage [his] way out of a brothel" and not to bother coming back.

El Centro Ltd and Mr Edwards failed to provide a written employment contract for the man, and tried to change his wage rate from the agreed $20 an hour to $12.50, for outstanding wages, after he had been dismissed.

Mr Edwards did not take part in the authority's proceedings. He could not be contacted yesterday.

Mr Edwards was brought before a Sydney court in 2008 on charges of kidnapping his brothel manager, Sunday News reported last year. The charges were later dropped.

- © Fairfax NZ News