In a recent ruling by an employment tribunal judge, a woman who was terminated from her position at an ambulance trust due to an incident where her wife assaulted their boss received a favorable verdict. Stacey Smith, a former employee at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to kill her and her wife’s boss, Michala Morton, in a violent attack involving a hammer. Following this incident, the judge determined that the woman, Paula Smith, was unfairly dismissed by her employers due to her association with her wife and expressed this decision succinctly with just two words.
Although Paula was initially arrested on suspicion of harassment and threats against the manager, the police later decided not to pursue further action against her. Despite her lack of involvement in the attack and her subsequent separation from Stacey, Paula was let go from her job three weeks after the police investigation was closed.
The tribunal revealed that Paula, aged 56 at the time, had been unjustly terminated from her position and is entitled to a compensation of £14,000. Judge Paul Holmes emphasized that Paula’s only connection to the incident was her marital relationship with Stacey and questioned the significance of this association in the context of her employment. The judge highlighted that the public perception of Paula’s connection to the assault was unlikely to pose any risk or concern to patients or the general public.
Concluding his remarks, Judge Holmes criticized the trust for excessively focusing on Paula’s arrest and bail conditions, which had not been widely publicized. The tribunal’s decision underscored the lack of substantial impact these elements had on Paula’s professional capabilities or public safety concerns.