An employment tribunal has ruled that the London Fire Brigade unfairly dismissed an employee accused of assaulting a shopper while off duty, finding the investigation incomplete and “tainted” by bias. The inquiry relied heavily on the perspective of the employee’s supervisor, who both led the investigation and later provided a negative character reference, raising serious questions about impartiality. Despite the seriousness of the allegation, the judge concluded that the process failed to meet reasonable standards, noting inconsistent evidence and disregard for the employee’s clean record and prior commendations.
The ruling reinforces the importance of procedural fairness over outcome-driven decisions and offers wider lessons for managing misconduct cases, particularly those involving off-duty conduct. Legal experts stressed that disciplinary outcomes must rest on credible, well-documented evidence, led by impartial investigators, and proportionate to the circumstances. They emphasised that bias, even unintentional, can undermine a legitimate process and expose organisations to significant legal and reputational risks.
