Summary of events

Melanie Newman is a Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and holds gender-critical views, which recognise the immutability of biological sex and question policies based solely on self-declared gender identity.

In March 2023, Newman attended an online event hosted by MPS to mark Trans Day of Visibility at New Scotland Yard. The event was organised by Kit Moore, a member of MPS’s intelligence team, and took place during working hours. The event featured external speakers including Eva Echo who the tribunal found who was known for strong and at times hostile views towards the beliefs of gender critical people 

Newman found Eva Echo’s speech particularly shocking, distressing and overtly political. In her notes, she recorded that Echo described individuals who raise concerns about single-sex spaces and women’s sports as being “driven by hate”, exhibiting “cult-like behaviour” and holding “twisted, distorted views”.

Following the event, Newman lodged a formal complaint and raised a grievance. However, she was informed that MPS would not pursue the matter, as Eva Echo was not employed by the force.

Newman subsequently submitted a formal claim against MPS, and the tribunal began on 10th March 2025.

Opposition to anonymity

During the employment-tribunal proceedings, MPS applied for anonymity for one of its witnesses Sex Matters and Tribunal Tweets all opposed the application, and Sex Matters made written submissions.

After a closed session, the tribunal rejected the anonymity application.

Findings by the tribunal

The tribunal rejected Newman’s claims of direct discrimination and harassment and dismissed her argument of “institutional capture” within MPS, stating that it was not “equipped to make such a wide-ranging finding about an organisation of 55,000 staff with a highly complex structure and operations”.

The tribunal accepted that Newman was genuinely offended by remarks made by Eva Echo, which it agreed could be perceived as hostile toward those with gender-critical beliefs, satisfying the subjective element of the harassment test. However, it concluded that given the voluntary nature and educational purpose of the event, it was not reasonable to interpret either the content of Echo’s speech or the MPS’s role in hosting and promoting the event as constituting unlawful harassment.

The tribunal found no evidence that the MPS discriminated against Newman or treated her less favourably than it would have treated someone with different beliefs who had made a similar complaint.

Appeal

Newman has launched a crowdfunder to support an appeal against the decision, citing its failure to consider the impact of the event on employees’ freedom of speech, and a faulty interpretation of a recent case, Higgs v Farmor’s School, as meaning that Article 10 ECHR constrains an employer’s ability to control workplace harassment. 

Our case briefings are introductions to cases that concern the conflict between sex-based rights and policies and practices based on gender identity. Naomi Cunningham (chair of Sex Matters) was acting as counsel in her personal capacity. This information was compiled from public sources, last updated 8th August 2025.