Waitrose worker faces dismissal after sharing tweets mocking trans ideology - ‘I’m treated like a criminal’

Woods claims the supermarket chain has "destroyed" his life over the posts that included content about gender identity, the burqa and immigration. He insists he is being targeted for his conservative views.

Woods began his career at Waitrose when he was just 15 years old, working as a supermarket assistant in the wine department.

Over the next quarter-century, he worked his way up through the ranks at the upmarket store.

He took multiple courses to become a wine specialist, building what he described as his "dream career".

"I've been an exemplary employee. Twenty-five years of service. My customers loved me and I loved my job," Woods told The Daily Mail.

Woods gained widespread attention when X owner Elon Musk retweeted his post about grooming gangs.

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The retweet was seen by 63 million people, propelling Woods' account into the spotlight.

"I was getting quite a lot of visibility. I was doxxed. Two accounts put I worked at Henley-on-Thames and put a photo of me," Woods said.

"That got seen by a million people and Waitrose were aware then."

When Waitrose suspended Woods, they presented him with a file containing 30 allegedly problematic tweets.

These included a cartoon joking about children failing to name 100 different genders and comments about banning the burqa.

Other posts mentioned a book about a pregnant man "spreading misinformation" and a poll asking if the UK should close its borders.

Woods also made remarks about an OnlyFans model and posted a joke comparing a black umbrella to Shamima Begum.

"My employer is attacking me because of my personal opinions. It's a witch hunt. I've been thrown to the wolves to protect their image and their woke ideology."

He insists his personal account has nothing to do with Waitrose, stating: "All views are my own."

The suspension has severely impacted Woods' mental health. "When they started their investigation, I was suicidal," he revealed.

He described the investigation meetings as "like interrogations" that lasted four hours and were "emotionally draining, really upsetting."

"I'm in a real dark place. My doctor put me on antidepressants," Woods said. "It's been really hard. It's very overwhelming. I've been there 25 years. It's destroyed my life."

Woods received a death threat while working at the Waitrose store.

"I went into work to do my shift and someone said, 'you've got a phone call'," he explained.

"I said, 'Hello, Waitrose wine department, how can I help you?' This person said, 'We know who you are, we're going to kill you.'"

Thames Valley Police investigated but were unable to identify a suspect. The case has been filed pending new information.

Despite facing likely dismissal, Woods is preparing to fight back with legal action against Waitrose.

He is raising funds to support his case with the help of employment lawyer Elliot Hammer from Branch Austin McCormick.

Hammer, who heads the firm's employment division, said: "Employees like Ben have rights under the Equality Act and Article 10 to manifest lawful beliefs and engage in robust debate about political matters".

Woods stated: "I have to fight back and protect my name and image."

A Waitrose spokeswoman declined to comment on Woods' case: "We would never discuss individuals so we won't be making any comment."