Paul Britton, pictured arriving at the employment tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, claims he was called a 'paedo' and forced to get changed in a disabled toilet during a campaign of abuse . A gay swimming instructor was called a 'paedo' by his manager ordered to get changed in a disabled toilet away from others, a tribunal heard today. Paul Britton claims he was referred to as a 'f****t' and a 'gayboy' and was told he should not be teaching young children, during a campaign of abuse by leisure centre colleagues. Staff members also sent him lewd photographs on Snapchat - including one featuring a workmate in a mankini - in a bid to hound him out of his job, the hearing was told. The homosexual instructor, who is also a trainee lawyer, told a judge that managers at the leisure centre had tried to make his life unbearable because he had exposed their 'lies' at an employment tribunal where he represented a disabled colleague. He told the tribunal that he had worked at the centre for three years without incident prior to the tribunal, which resulted in his employers having to pay out a hefty settlement. Shortly after that, he claimed his line manager, Graham Ashby, started the tirade of homophobic abuse. The 31-year-old said the campaign of abuse began in June 2013, when Mr Ashby called him a 'greedy gay' after overhearing him tell a colleague he was going to order a Dominos pizza. 'I was deeply upset about this comment and completely offended,' he told the tribunal in Reading, Berkshire. A month later he said Mr Ashby ordered him not to use the male changing rooms as it was 'inappropriate' and told him to use the disabled toilet instead. 'When I asked him why, he explained that if I was to use the male communal changing area it would be like him using the female changing area. 'I did not want to give Graham Ashby a reason to discipline me or give me a hard time, especially in front of others. The tribunal heard Mr Ashby then approached the experienced swimming instructor and told him it was 'wrong' for him to teach children. 'When I asked him why, he asked me if I was a Tory. I responded, I told him that I was a Conservative to which he said 'gay and Tory can mean only one thing'. 'I asked him 'what does that mean then?' to which he laughed and said 'paedo' and walked away. 'I was deeply offended and so shocked that I had to go home, saying that I felt unwell.' Mr Britton, who lives in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, told the tribunal that he had felt increasingly ostracised when he returned from work after successfully representing disabled colleague Dale Moore at an employment tribunal. The pair worked together High Wycombe Sports Centre, which is run by Parkwood Leisure, based in Bishops Stortford. 'When I returned to work relationships became strained for me. I had questioned and interrogated a number of senior managers at Parkwood whilst at the tribunal. 'I felt that my support of Mr Moore had been seen as negative by those that employed me. I felt ostracised by those that were involved in the Dale Moore case.' Among the torrent of abuse was a series of images sent to him on social networking app Snapchat showing colleagues in lewd and compromising positions, the tribunal heard. Mr Britton, dressed in a smart pinstripe suit and white shirt, told the hearing that the photos were sent by colleague Ben Mitchell which included an image of his flatmate and a fellow leisure centre employee, William Stroud, wearing a revealing mankini. Mr Britton told the tribunal that he had felt increasingly ostracised when he returned from work at High Wycombe Sports Centre (pictured) after successfully representing disabled colleague Dale Moore at an employment tribunal . Another photo featured an image of Mr Mitchell containing the words 'waistcoat...no shirt...gay cowboy' and a different picture of him headbutting a melon. 'I took this as a direct threat to my personal safety and I was fearful,' said Mr Britton. He told the judge he had found the images degrading and disgusting and thought they were homophobic. However, when he complained to Mr Ashby, the manager told him to 'lighten up' and that it was just 'banter.' He told the hearing that Mr Ashby had also made jibes about his hair loss including saying 'here comes the bald queer' which he described as 'very hurtful.' 'I believe that Graham Ashby's comments were made because he does not like homosexuals and that he would do anything to be nasty and create difficulties for me at work because of my assistance to Dale Moore in 2012. 'I had started to question my sexuality which I had never done before. I no longer wanted to get out of bed in the mornings. I had stopped going to the gym to train and to the pool to swim leisurely. I did not want to leave the house. I was frightened to go to the sport centre.' He also claimed that, in another incident, Duty Manager Joel Hoyte told him to take off his wetsuit by the poolside in front of a young boy, even though he said he had nothing on underneath. 'Mr Hoyte's behaviour towards me was aggressive,' he added.' I thought he was going to physically attack me in the pool. He was so angry and hostile towards me. The public and staff that were present were completely silent.' Mr Britton told the hearing that he had now given up hope of resuming his teaching career. 'I'm effectively prohibited from using pools near to me because of the events and the individuals,' he said. Defending the centre, Jeff Middleton said his claims of homophobia were not true and added: 'You left because you didn't want the practice on one to ones to change and you didn't like being told not to wear your wetsuit in the pool.' Colleagues of Mr Britton agreed he had been 'singled out' for abusive treatment because he was gay. Former centre manager Michael Walker told the tribunal that the 31-year-old had been overlooked for a promotion because of his sexuality. He said superior Mr Ashby, told him in a meeting that he did not think a 'gay' should run the swimming school because 'we might lose customers.' Mr Walker added that staff had been told to 'keep the heat off' Mr Ashby and said: 'In essence he was untouchable and was allowed to operate outside of the normal rules . 'Almost every month Graham Ashby would ask me to check Paul Britton's timesheets. He never told me why, not did he ever ask me to do this for any of the other swimming instructors.' Leisure assistant Mark Gee spoke of the bullying culture at the centre and said the environment was 'the worst I have worked in.' 'Joel Hoyte likes to throw his weight around...he is power hungry. He said to me once in staff training that he likes the fear he induces,' he said. He added that Nicola Allen, who was chairing a grievance hearing into the dispute, told him that homophobic remarks such as 'alright gayboy' were 'banter' and 'part of the environment of working in leisure.' Swimming instructor Alex Jones recalled an incident when Mr Ashby made apparently derogatory remarks about Mr Britton's partner. He said he was in the swim office with Mr Britton and his partner Daniel Beech when Mr Ashby walked in and said 'Paul and I are going to run away together.' When Mr Britton explained that Mr Beech was his boyfriend, Mr Ashby said 'each to their own' before waving his hands in the air and walking off. 'I did not know if Graham Ashby's comments were made because Paul Britton and Daniel Beech are homosexual and that he disapproved of their relationship, or if it was because Daniel Beech is half Chinese. 'I do believe either of the reasons for his comment would have made it inappropriate to say and clearly, in my opinion, discriminatory in nature.' The tribunal was adjourned until tomorrow.
Paul Britton the target for abuse by staff at High Wycombe Sports Centre . Tribunal heard the 31-year-old was referred to as 'gayboy' and 'paedo'
Also ordered to get changed in a disabled toilet during campaign of abuse . Abuse began after Mr Brittton represented disabled colleague at a tribunal .