Teacher awarded compensation for unfair dismissal

Posted 30/08/2010

A teacher has been awarded compensation at an employment tribunal after it was agreed he was the victim of unfair dismissal.

David Roy had been taking a science lesson at Collegiate High School in Blackpool when a 13-year-old began to simulate a lewd act on another pupil and then sat on a table with her back to the teacher, the Telegraph reports.

Mr Roy moved the table and the girl fell off in what he described as “an exaggerated fashion”. Weeks later, he found himself at the centre of misconduct allegations and was eventually dismissed from his position.

The teacher took his case to an employment law tribunal, claiming that his managers sacked him despite reports and witness statements which exonerated him from blame.

He has now been awarded £63,000 in compensation after winning his unfair dismissal case.

“I cannot tell you how relieved I am. It appeared to me that they were investigating with a view to finding me guilty, not finding the facts,” Mr Roy commented.

Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive, cited by the National Union of Teachers, show that teaching and research staff showed the highest levels of occupational stress, depression or anxiety of any profession between 2003 and 2006.