‘Manny’ demands millionaire pay for surgery after injuring wrist while cutting her son’s lobster

A self-described “manny” was sacked by his millionaire boss after he demanded she pay for surgery after injuring himself chopping lobster for her son’s dinner, an employment tribunal has heard.

Brian Handford was tutoring Yulia Shkop’s son after moving into their £5m mansion on the exclusive Wentworth Estate in Berkshire, which is home to Russian oligarchs, famous singers, and wealthy business owners.

But their relationship ultimately broke down after Mr Handford, who dined with the family most evenings, was asked to step in for the household chef in order to prepare lobsters for the eight-year-old in February 2021.

The panel heard that Ms Shkop told him to freeze and cut the the crustaceans up before boiling them so that they would not scream and upset her son, and the chef advised him to watch a YouTube tutorial beforehand.

But Mr Handford told the tribunal that he tore his scapholunate ligament by pressing down hard on the knife – an injury which required an operation followed by six weeks of complete immobilisation and another six weeks of physiotherapy.

He and Ms Shkop later argued when she refused to take “any personal responsibility”, Mr Handford told the panel, with the employer opting to move him out of the house to a staff cottage elsewhere on the grounds because she was “drastically upset” by the situation and that her son had heard them arguing.

Just two days later, on 5 July 2021, Mr Handford was told to leave the premises entirely.

The tribunal, held in Watford, accepted Mr Handford’s version of events and rejected Ms Shkop’s claim that he hurt his wrist while performing a stroke in the swimming pool.

However, his claim of unfair dismissal failed because Ms Shkop had a “loss of faith and trust” in him after their disagreement, the tribunal decided.

“Fundamentally, she was of the opinion that [Mr Handford] was arguing too much in the meeting [and] ignored in her view the generosity she had always offered. This may be classed as a loss of trust and confidence,” said employment judge Nathaniel Caiden.

The tribunal also dismissed Mr Handford’s claim for an unlawful deduction of wages.

While it ruled in favour of his claim that Ms Shkop breached the requirement to provide an amended written statement of particulars, in relation to being unable to work due to sickness, the tribunal concluded he was not due any compensation.

Mr Handford, who also had a photography business, joined Ridge House in September 2020, when – in the midst of the pandemic – the home was gripped by a strict “regime of isolation” designed to keep Ms Shkop’s eight-year-old son safe.

The nanny was forbidden from leaving the estate and could not even visit a supermarket without having to isolate for five days, the tribunal heard.

But Mr Handford said he had “a lot of fun” teaching the boy for £36,000 per year, had received free tennis lessons and access to the family’s pool, and had dined with the family most evenings before their relationship soured.

Additional reporting by Solent News