Northamptonshire Police worker ordered to pay £10k after losing constructive dismissal hearing

Yvonne Mason was employed as the assurance manager at Wootton Hall within the Professional Standards Department.

However, she resigned in September 2016, shortly after being served notice that she was under investigation for gross misconduct.

Northamptonshire Police alleged the employee, who first started work with the force in 2002, knew her friend in the force was having a relationship with a known criminal.

The force also alleged she discussed aspects of her son's misconduct case with a colleague in the hope of discrediting a witness.

Her son, a former Special with the police, was later fired and handed 100 hours of community service.

Taken together both incidents, the force said, amounted to gross misconduct and an investigation was launched.

Ms Mason resigned on September 7, 2016, stating that the way she had been treated was 'unbearable'.

She said the allegations against her were unclear and unfounded and vowed to make a claim for constructive dismissal.

However, a tribunal judge has now found in favour of Northamptonshire Police.

Judge Jean Laidler ruled that Ms Mason was fully aware of what she had been accused of in 2016.

The force served notice on Ms Mason on June 6, 2016, to which she responded.

Ms Mason's written response was "five pages long" and showed that she "she understood completely" what she was accused of, the judge said.

During a taped interview on June 9, the judge formed the opinion that Ms Mason: "Understood the allegations against her" and concluded the interviewing officers showed "absolutely no evidence of any overbearing or oppressive conduct."

Ms Mason was ordered to pay £10,000 to Northamptonshire Police for legal costs incurred.