A former college lecturer has won damages after an employment tribunal ruled he was wrongfully dismissed over “fabricated” allegations of misconduct made by a student seeking “revenge”.
Kirk Wood, a former esports teacher at Halesowen College, has been awarded £3,431.31 after a judge found the college did not fully investigate accusations of inappropriate behaviour and deemed his immediate sacking was unfair.
Wood was fired last March for gross misconduct after a student claimed he breached professional boundaries by asking her out for a drink and “consistently” bringing up his sex life during lessons, amongst other “career-ending” allegations.
Employment judge Robert Childe found that the student raised allegations against the teacher as “revenge” after he reported safeguarding concerns about her being previously sexually assaulted, an incident she didn’t want to get back to her family.
