A 'vexatious' litigant who cost employers thousands by bringing a string of hopeless discrimination claims has been exposed as a thief. Youth worker Joseph Johnson, 45, was revealed by the Daily Mail in January to have launched at least 54 claims, often for racial discrimination, in a bid to 'get rich fast'. But he has now been firmly slapped down after being convicted of two counts of theft, after he stole £20,000 of charity money from a community gym.
True to form, Johnson accused almost everyone involved in the case of racism. He labelled half the staff at the gym he stole from, the investigating police officer, and even the judge, as all racist. But the jury, which featured several members of ethnic minorities, saw through his claims.
Johnson has been every employer's nightmare for years, launching dozens of employment tribunals claiming discrimination. His activities cost employers thousands in legal costs and staff time to fight, even though he has won just one out of 54 claims - and that was for unlawful deduction of wages.
The Conservative Party warned that chancers like him were being given fresh opportunities by the Labour Government, whose Employment Rights Act means employees can now claim unfair dismissal after just six months' work, rather than two years, with unlimited damages. And throughout Johnson's campaign - described by one tribunal judge as 'personal and vexatious', and by another as 'a means to get rich fast' - he has kept his own costs at virtually zero, by ineptly representing himself.
That was the case in his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London, which ended with his sentencing last month. Prosecutor Lydia Stephens told the court that Johnson, of Wanstead, east London, had been hired in August 2021 by William Judd to run free martial arts classes offered by the charitable KO Community Project. He was sacked just over a year later after Judd discovered he had 'over-stated his martial arts ability', had been using the project's gym to run his own classes for his own profit - and for being too 'challenging to work with'.
As he was being sacked however, he applied to a funding body for £10,000 for KO Community Project. When the money was paid in, Johnson transferred it to his personal bank account. When an additional £10,000 grant was mistakenly paid in December 2022, Johnson transferred that too, even spending some of the cash on McDonald's meals. When contacted about the money, he claimed he had been authorised to transfer and keep it - then got up to his usual tricks.
Johnson lodged a claim for racial discrimination at an employment tribunal, demanding £32,000 for owed wages - and £70,000 'compensation for falsely accusing me of stealing £20,000'. It was, suggested prosecutor Ms Stephens, 'a borderline attempt at extortion'. Representing himself in court, Johnson said his former boss and staff were 'racist', and claimed - to disbelieving laughter from jurors - the investigating detective constable only considered him criminal 'because I'm a black man'. Johnson concluded by accusing the judge, Recorder Donegan, of racial discrimination and claiming he would be making a formal complaint of racism.
Johnson was sentenced to 20 months in jail, suspended, and given 200 hours unpaid work, with the stolen money due to be clawed back.
