A DEAF woman who took High Court action after complaining about a lack of British Sign Language interpreters at the UK Government's Covid-19 briefings in England has won a compensation fight.
Katie Rowley, who is in her 30s and from Leeds, took legal action against Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.
Rowley, a self-employed actor and writer, said the Government had breached obligations to make broadcasts accessible to deaf people under equality legislation.
Ministers disputed this and lawyers representing Gove said Rowley’s claim should be dismissed.
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A judge based in London made a ruling in Rowley’s favour today.
Justice Fordham said the absence of any British sign language interpretation for “data briefings” on September 21 2020 and October 12 2020 constituted “discrimination” against Rowley.
He said damages would be assessed by a judge in a county court and added that the Government was not “in present or continuing breach”.
Similar briefings by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, and from Stormont in Northern Ireland have included British Sign Language interpreters on-screen throughout the pandemic.
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