AN Oxford University college master yesterday denounced a “spurious” legal challenge by a former bursar who was sacked for harassment.

St Peter’s College’s Mark Damazer said at a tribunal that Jean Wright was sacked for “reprehensible” behaviour to her staff.

She said she was fired for pushing for an archivist colleague to be dismissed over harassment allegations which she said turned staff against her.

The Kidlington resident, 60, is suing the New Inn Hall Street college for public interest disclosure, unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.

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Mr Damazer said she told him she was angry with how the college handled a 2009 complaint by her against volunteer archivist Geoffrey Fouquet.

He said Mr Fouquet had apologised following an investigation but Mrs Wright made harassment and bullying allegations against him in June 2012.

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Mark Damazer 

Mr Damazer – who took up the post in 2010 – dismissed these and said Mrs Wright took time off work after a failed appeal against its findings.

About this time concerns were raised about an investigation she led into allegations against staff member Roger Hall, resulting in his dismissal, he said.

That decision was overturned and Mrs Wright then met Mr Damazer, he said.

He said at the Reading employment tribunal: “She asked me if she might still be able to sack Roger because he was ‘no good’ and “he should have done more about his dyslexia”.

Some employees complained about her in 2013 that she was “being very difficult and making their lives at work constantly unpleasant”, he said.

The former BBC Radio 4 controller said: “Staff advised that she had been aggressive, hostile, threatening and abusive.”

She was sacked after facing 12 gross misconduct allegations in 2013.

Mr Damazer said she has suggested this was “somehow orchestrated by various people within the college as a result of her complaints about Mr Fouquet”. He said: “I am not aware of any such connection.”

He added: “The claimant has sought to make spurious allegations about matters which do not pertain to her dismissal in order to cause damage to the college and to myself.

“These allegations are untrue and without foundation.”

The college dealt with complaints about her “in a fair and appropriate way” yet it “could not simply ignore so many staff in distress”.

He said some “wished to leave their long-standing posts because of her aggression, threats and hostile approach”.

She “acted in a way which was not only reprehensible in itself but an abuse of power in respect of her subordinates”.

He said: “In the claimant’s absence, the college staff are much happier.”

Mr Damazer said he was not aware she suffered from depression which made her disabled under the Equality Act 2010.

Mrs Wright is expected to give her evidence today or tomorrow.

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