Anger of head forced out after chemotherapy

A former headteacher who was unfairly dismissed over claims of bullying today blasted the investigation against him as a waste of money.

James Walker was suspended from his job at Henry Fawcett Primary school in November 2008, months after he finished a course of chemotherapy to treat cancer.

He had been accused of bullying and harassment by a former assistant headteacher, Penny Bermingham, and resigned from his post at the school in Kennington in September last year.

The father-of-two won a constructive unfair dismissal claim against Lambeth council this week. Today, he called for an investigation against those who had "pushed" him out of his job.

He said: "If Lambeth's whistle-blowing team had listened and followed the proper procedures, I could have been spared months of misery and isolation and the school could have avoided unnecessary and detrimental upheaval. Experienced and talented teachers have left, parents have lost confidence and needy children have been neglected." Mr Walker had a tumour in his abdomen removed in February 2008 before being diagnosed with cancer on March 18, undergoing four cycles of chemotherapy over a 12-week period until June 2008.

He returned to work in September but found himself subject to an allegation of bullying and was told two months later that he was being suspended.

An employment tribunal said the council investigation "amounted to a fishing exercise which focused on obtaining the most damaging information about the claimant". The hearing in Croydon last year was told that two teachers went to the council after Mr Walker's suspension to say that Mrs Bermingham's claims were untrue, but this was not acted on at the time.

A Lambeth council spokesman said: "We are disappointed that Mr Walker's claim for unfair dismissal has been upheld but we are pleased that the judgement acknowledges that there were serious financial issues that needed to be addressed."

"We accept the ruling of the tribunal in relation to the finding of unfair dismissal and we will be looking carefully at what lessons need to be learned."