A woman is to receive almost £20,000 after winning a pregnancy discrimination case against a Somerset cheesemaker. 

The BBC reports that Storm Botha was told by the company that having a baby would "derail" her career at White Lake Cheese, and was moved to a lower-paid role after she announced her pregnancy in 2021.

She was initially employed in the firm's marketing department on £11 an hour, but was moved to a packing and grading role on £9.50 an hour.

The woman suffered a miscarriage in November 2021 and was dismissed by the company a month later on the grounds of redundancy, a reason which was branded a "sham" by an employment judge.

After revealing her pregnancy, Ms Botha said she was called to an "ambush" meeting in September 2021, where her marketing work was criticised by her boss.

She was then told she was being demoted. In court, Mr Longman insisted he did not know about the pregnancy when he made the decision to move her.

However, Ms Botha's notes of the meeting, which were shared with the tribunal, state she said: "Roger, I'm pregnant, I can't work in the cheese room."

He is said to have replied immediately, saying: "I know, that's why you're going to work in packing. Oh, and congratulations."

Between September 22 and October 22, 2021, Ms Botha worked in the grading and packing department, where she had to "turn, wash and lift heavy cheeses in a cold room".

She miscarried two months later, which she said was brought on by panic attacks and concerns over the security of her job.

The tribunal heard that it was after her miscarriage that she was dismissed, despite having a doctor's fit note saying she was not fit to work.

She was dismissed from her role on December 13 following a redundancy review.

White Lake Cheese has now been ordered to pay Ms Botha £19,694.42 in compensation for lost earnings and "injury to feelings", after the judge ruled that she had been discriminated against because of her pregnancy.

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