A former senior cruise company executive is pursuing a multi-million pound compensation claim against P&O, alleging a slip in an onboard toilet ended her career and left her with a life-changing neurological condition.
The Incident and the Claim
Kerry Middleton, a 52-year-old former human resources chief, suffered the accident in October 2019. She was aboard P&O's flagship vessel, the MV Britannia, for a management meeting while the ship was docked in Cadiz, Spain. The incident occurred when she slipped on a wet floor in one of the liner's toilets.
The fall resulted in a fracture to part of a bone in her neck, known as the spinous process. While medical opinion suggested such an injury should typically heal within six months, Mrs Middleton's condition deteriorated. She was later diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), a complex condition affecting the brain's communication with the body.
Her legal team states the disorder has rendered her primarily a wheelchair user and ended her working life. Consequently, she is suing P&O's parent company, Carnival Plc, for £9.7 million in damages.
The Cruise Line's Defence and Secret Footage
Although the company has accepted liability for the initial slip injury, it fiercely contests the scale of the claim. Carnival's defence hinges on two key arguments presented at a recent High Court hearing before Judge Tim Moloney.
Firstly, the company's barrister, James Todd KC, argued that the FND was not caused by the accident. Instead, he suggested a more probable trigger was the stress of Mrs Middleton receiving a work performance grading equivalent to "below standard" around the same period—an event for which the company would not be liable.
Secondly, and more dramatically, the defence presented covert surveillance footage. This video, filmed through the kitchen window of Mrs Middleton's home on New Year's Eve 2024, allegedly shows her moving with "completely normal mobility" while preparing a family meal, appearing "pretty chirpy." Carnival's lawyers contend this evidence undermines her claims about the severity of her disabilities and her overall credibility.
Mr Todd stated the footage showed a stark contrast to her reported condition, noting she had told a doctor four months later that she could stand but not walk. He suggested this could indicate a tendency to "catastrophise" symptoms, though he stopped short of alleging outright fraud.
Legal Wrangling and Postponed Trial
Mrs Middleton's barrister, Eliot Woolf KC, strongly objected to the inclusion of the surveillance evidence, accusing Carnival of an "ambush." He criticised the methods used, highlighting the invasion of privacy and the selective nature of the filming, which also captured her children.
He also firmly denied that the work performance review was a trigger for her FND, asserting her symptoms had begun manifesting before she was informed of the grading and that it did not cause her significant distress.
Following a day in court, Judge Moloney granted Carnival permission to use the footage in the forthcoming trial. This development necessitated the cancellation of the trial scheduled for late January 2026. The case will now be heard at a later date, yet to be confirmed, to allow experts time to analyse the new evidence.
The 330-metre long MV Britannia, the scene of the original accident, remains the flagship of P&O's fleet, boasting nearly 2,000 cabins across 15 passenger decks.
