A man has spoken of his humiliation at being accused of trying to steal a
pair of trousers by stuffing it up his jumper when he was actually just
holding his colostomy bag.
Lee Winters-Jones, 31, from Colwyn Bay, North Wales, says he felt
publicly humiliated when he was confronted by an employee from the Next
store in Prestatyn.
The blundering member of staff appears to have become suspicious after
spotting Lee Winters-Jones clutching his stomach when walking around the
shop last Sunday morning.
Mr Winters-Jones, 31, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, said: “We were
only in Next for a couple of minutes, but I did notice a guy had
followed us down the stairs but I didn’t really think anything of it.
After Next we walked to Marks & Spencer’s which is quite a long way
away.
I can only walk slowly and I’ve got a walking stick, but my free hand
does tend to hold my colostomy bag, it’s a self conscious thing.”
After spending about ten minutes in Marks & Spencer’s, Mr Winters-Jones says he was then confronted by the same man who had followed him downstairs at the Next store. Mr Winters-Jones, who underwent a hernia operation two weeks ago, said: “He just came up to me and said that he had a reason to believe that I had stolen some suit trousers. I felt forced to show him that underneath my jumper was my colostomy bag, and I told him that he had discriminated against me, he denied this. He said a quick sorry, then he just walked off.
“It was a horrible experience, I felt very shaken up there was a lot of people in the store, it was a public shaming and I hadn’t even done something.” Lee's angry mother went back to Next and confronted a different staff member of staff who Lee said was very apologetic. “I didn’t see the point in going back,” said Mr Winters-Jones. “They have offered me compensation, £200 to start with which has gone up to £500 but this was never about the money.” A spokesman for Next said: "We would like to pass on our sincere apologies for any distress caused to Mr Winters Jones. We are currently investigating this incident as a matter of urgency and liaising with the management team both at the store and head office to ensure that something like this does not happen again."
After spending about ten minutes in Marks & Spencer’s, Mr Winters-Jones says he was then confronted by the same man who had followed him downstairs at the Next store. Mr Winters-Jones, who underwent a hernia operation two weeks ago, said: “He just came up to me and said that he had a reason to believe that I had stolen some suit trousers. I felt forced to show him that underneath my jumper was my colostomy bag, and I told him that he had discriminated against me, he denied this. He said a quick sorry, then he just walked off.
“It was a horrible experience, I felt very shaken up there was a lot of people in the store, it was a public shaming and I hadn’t even done something.” Lee's angry mother went back to Next and confronted a different staff member of staff who Lee said was very apologetic. “I didn’t see the point in going back,” said Mr Winters-Jones. “They have offered me compensation, £200 to start with which has gone up to £500 but this was never about the money.” A spokesman for Next said: "We would like to pass on our sincere apologies for any distress caused to Mr Winters Jones. We are currently investigating this incident as a matter of urgency and liaising with the management team both at the store and head office to ensure that something like this does not happen again."
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