UK: Male maths teacher at all-girls grammar school wins £45,000 after being sacked over false accusations

Article here. Excerpt:

'A male teacher at an all-girls grammar school has won almost £45,000 after he was sacked over sex assault claims which pupils allegedly later said they made up 'for fun'.

Jonathan Hawker, the former maths and computing teacher, was said to be targeted by pupils who wanted to end his career by alleging he had assaulted them by touching their thighs and massaging their shoulders.

Mr Hawker, who had been at Devonport High School for Girls in Plymouth for five years, was suspended, arrested and then fired for 'gross misconduct' – despite reports that the girls had admitted they lied about everything 'because it was fun'.

The teacher has now been awarded £44,868 after a tribunal in Bristol decided that the school had carried out a 'wholly inadequate' investigation and failed to 'provide a safe working environment for its staff, in particular the men.''