Boy who alleged racial discrimination at Currys Co Down store gets £3,000 payout

The Equality Commission supported him in taking his case, which was settled by DSG Retail Limited, operators of Currys PC World, without admission of liability.

The boy, 13, went into the store to buy a keyboard, while his mother waited outside in the car. He says that while he was walking around the store he was approached by a member of staff and asked to leave; this happened several times.

The boy explained why he was in the shop and asked why he should leave, but no explanation was given. He was followed and closely observed as he selected and paid for the keyboard and left the store.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been as embarrassed, being singled out like this,” he said.

“When I got back to the car I was really upset and told my mum that I was never going into a shop again.”

At the time the boy’s mother challenged the people in the store and later complained on the phone to a man who said he was the local manager, but says she did not get a satisfactory response. She alleges that reference was made to other “blacks” having caused trouble and damaged items in the store.

“I thought then, and I still think now, that this happened because of my race,” the boy said. “Now that this has been resolved, I hope that my challenging it will help other people who are treated unfairly because of their race.”

Dr Michael Wardlow, the Equality Commission’s chief commissioner, said the boy’s experience must have been “troubling and upsetting” and “particularly traumatic.”

In addition to paying £3,000 the company has undertaken to liaise with the Equality Commission to review its equal opportunity policies and procedures, and implement recommendations such as race awareness training for its staff.