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  "path": "/news/wincanton-news-lidl-worker-sacked-drinking-bottle-of-water",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-14T08:43:24.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Neighbour from hell left woman scared in her own home after bizarre campaign of attacks",
    "Sadiq Khan unveils Ramadan lights in heart of London as he hails 'symbol of diversity'",
    "'This is flat-out insanity - would you write a Valentine's Day card to an asylum seeker?'",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA Lidl worker who spent more than a decade at the supermarket's Wincanton branch was dismissed for gross misconduct after consuming a 17p bottle of water without payment whilst manning the checkout, an employment tribunal has heard.\n\nJulian Oxborough claimed he was suffering from dehydration during his shift when he nicked the bottle in July 2024.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe long-serving employee subsequently brought an unfair dismissal claim against the retailer.\n\nHowever, at a Southampton hearing in October 2025, Employment Judge Yallop ruled in favour of Lidl, upholding the company's decision to terminate Mr Oxborough's employment and rejecting his claim.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe incident occurred on July 19, 2024 when Mr Oxborough was serving customers at the till.\n\nA shopper had attempted to purchase a water bottle taken from a multipack, but it did not have a barcode.\n\nThe customer exchanged it for a bottle with proper labelling and left the original at the checkout.\n\nLater that same day, Mr Oxborough drank from the abandoned bottle and used it to top up his own drink while continuing to serve customers.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe following day, a store manager spotted the bottle beside the till and suspected it had been consumed in violation of company policy.\n\nCCTV footage was subsequently reviewed, leading to Mr Oxborough being summoned to a meeting where he was informed of his suspension pending a gross misconduct investigation.\n\nDuring the investigation, Mr Oxborough explained that he had grown increasingly dehydrated during his shift and was worried about his wellbeing.\n\nHe stated he had avoided his own drink because he had prepared his squash with too much concentrate.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Neighbour from hell left woman scared in her own home after bizarre campaign of attacks\n  * Sadiq Khan unveils Ramadan lights in heart of London as he hails 'symbol of diversity'\n  * 'This is flat-out insanity - would you write a Valentine's Day card to an asylum seeker?'\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe employee maintained he believed the multipack bottle could simply be written off.\n\nWhen asked whether he had paid for the water, Mr Oxborough replied: \"No, I think I may have forgot or can't actually remember taking it.\"\n\nMr Oxborough insisted he harboured no dishonest intentions, though he acknowledged his actions were wrong in hindsight.\n\nHe described his dismissal as \"a huge overreaction\".\n\nArea manager Karina Moon, who oversaw the disciplinary proceedings, told the tribunal Mr Oxborough had given contradictory accounts regarding whether he had intended to purchase the water or have it written off.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMs Moon questioned why the employee had not simply obtained tap water rather than drinking from the multipack bottle.\n\nShe noted Mr Oxborough had four days following the incident to report the matter voluntarily, yet failed to do so.\n\nThe area manager concluded that Mr Oxborough understood the correct procedures and that there was no guarantee such conduct would not recur.\n\nShe determined that dismissal was the only appropriate course of action.\n\nEmployment Judge Yallop upheld Lidl's decision at the Southampton tribunal in October 2025, dismissing Mr Oxborough's unfair dismissal claim along with his other complaints.\n\nA Lidl spokesman said: \"We would never take the decision to dismiss a long-serving colleague lightly, and the tribunal has upheld that our actions were fair and followed a thorough process.\n\n\"As a retailer, maintaining a consistent zero-tolerance approach to the consumption of unpaid stock is essential to our operations and ensures that clear rules are followed by everyone across the business.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Lidl worker who spent decade at supermarket sacked for drinking 17p bottle of water without paying"
}