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Ex-Chef Fries Sting, Wife in Court

Thu., May. 10, 2007 5:10 PM PDT by Julie Keller

When it comes to the legal battle with their former chef, Sting and Trudie Styler have officially been burned.

An employment tribunal in London has ruled that the power couple will have to pay up for wrongly terminating longtime cook Jane Martin after she became pregnant.

Martin, who whipped up gourmet creations for the A-list twosome and their equally famous friends for eight years, says things started simmering in 2005 when Styler found out Martin was pregnant. The chef claims, Styler's "grandiose ego" boiled over, and Sting's missus made Martin work long hours and became enraged when she took time off when she was sick.

Martin says her bosses cooked up a scheme to get rid of her by forcing her into a culinary competition between her and another chef, and she eventually left in April 2006 and filed a grievance against Sting and Styler.

A Southampton tribunal ruled Thursday that Martin had been unlawfully dismissed by Lake House Estate, the couple's management company. The court also deemed Martin to be a victim of sexual discrimination. Her financial payout will be decided at a June 8 hearing. It's expected to be a fairly substantial severance check.

The Stings, needless to say, weren't too psyched to be on the losing end of the ruling.

"I am devastated that the tribunal's judgment makes this unjust and unfair attack on Sting and me," Styler said in a statement. "Jane Martin was always treated well and generously as an employee, and we remain stunned at her actions and at the verdict of the tribunal."

The tribunal singled out Styler, saying her behavior was a recipe for disaster.

Per the ruling, Styler "had tried to distance herself from various unlawful acts and have them carried out by minions on her behalf, when the evidence is looked at holistically, her involvement is clear.

"She is without doubt the driving force manipulating others to perform her dirty work."

As for Martin, "she is delighted with such an overwhelming victory," said her attorney, Mark Broad.

Styler says she and Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, plan to appeal.

"I wholly reject the tribunal's findings on this issue." Styler told London's Daily Mail. "Sting and I have been lucky over many years to have worked with loyal and long-serving colleagues and staff."