A teacher has been granted nearly £45,000 in compensation after being terminated from his position amid allegations of sexual assault, which later emerged to have been fabricated “for fun” by pupils.
Jonathan Hawker, a mathematics and computing teacher at an all-girls grammar school, was dismissed following accusations that he had touched students’ thighs and massaged their shoulders. These allegations led to his suspension from Devonport High School for Girls in Plymouth. Some older pupils later revealed that the girls had concocted the claims “for fun.”
Despite the police dropping the charges, Mr. Hawker was arrested and subsequently dismissed for “gross misconduct.” His appeal against the dismissal was rejected.
However, he has now been awarded £44,868, equivalent to his annual salary, after a tribunal ruled that the school’s investigation was “wholly inadequate” and that it had failed to provide a safe working environment for staff, particularly male staff.
The tribunal, which took place remotely in Bristol, heard that in June 2021, a student informed her tutor that another student, referred to as Student H, had alleged that Mr. Hawker had touched her leg.
False rumors and accusations soon followed, with students describing similar incidents and spreading false claims about Mr. Hawker. These included allegations that he had previously been suspended for inappropriate contact with a student and had an affair with a sixth-form student.
The school’s acting head, Beverly Bell, instructed the head of safeguarding, Ruth Morgan, to take statements from the girls. Among the statements, Student D reported feeling “very uncomfortable” due to Mr. Hawker “massaging my shoulders and stroking my arms.” She also mentioned witnessing him touching other girls’ thighs, with students Student G and Student F reporting similar incidents. The teacher was additionally accused of winking at girls.
Mr. Hawker was suspended pending an investigation in June 2021. A month later, two older students reported overhearing the accusers admit that they were trying to get Mr. Hawker fired.
The school, however, seemed to dismiss the account provided by the older students. Mr. Hawker was arrested in September 2021 after two of the initial accusers consented to involving the police. It was only then that he became aware of the allegations.
An internal investigation was initiated at the school in November, leading to Mr. Hawker’s dismissal for gross misconduct at a disciplinary hearing in February 2022. The charges against him were dropped by the police a month later.
Martha Street, an employment judge, upheld Mr. Hawker’s claim of unfair dismissal and criticized the school’s handling of the allegations. She emphasized the need for a thorough and fair investigation in cases that could end careers and damage reputations. The judge also noted that the school accepted the evidence of the younger pupils without sufficient challenge or exploration and ignored or disregarded contradictory evidence.
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