A former employee of The Carrbridge Centre has been awarded £2,160 after an employment tribunal ruled that the charity unfairly dismissed her following complaints about its chief executive, Matthew Gibbs.
Julie Mayes was dismissed for gross misconduct in September 2024 after trustees accused her of participating in a group allegedly seeking to remove the organisation’s management.
Employment Judge Alan Johnson, sitting at Liverpool Employment Tribunal, found that the charity had failed to properly assess the evidence before deciding to dismiss her.
Mayes also brought a claim alleging that her dismissal resulted from making a protected disclosure, but the tribunal did not uphold that complaint.
Employee Describes Alleged Aggressive Behaviour by CEO
Mayes began working at The Carrbridge Centre in January 2022. The charity provides support to vulnerable people in Wirral, Merseyside, including families, children and older residents.
Her responsibilities included offering community support, arranging emergency food assistance and directing service users to other organisations.
During the tribunal proceedings, Mayes described tensions with Gibbs, who managed her during her employment. She said his behaviour became increasingly difficult over a period of six to eight months, alleging that he regularly shouted, swore and threw boxes.
The tribunal heard that one volunteer had walked out following an incident involving Gibbs. Mayes also raised concerns about how he handled his dog and alleged that he sometimes used inappropriate sexualised language.
She recalled an occasion when he climbed onto a table and gyrated and thrust his hips while members of the public were present. Mayes told the tribunal that this behaviour had become normal at the centre.
Mayes Raises Concerns With Charity Trustees
Mayes discussed her concerns with two trustees at a meeting on July 18, 2024.
She explained that some volunteers and workers had backgrounds involving abuse and said Gibbs’ conduct could trigger feelings of trauma among them.
According to the tribunal, Gibbs subsequently accused Mayes of alleging that he had sexually abused someone, although she said she had been raising concerns about his treatment of volunteers.
CEO Shouts ‘I Am the CEO’ During August Confrontation
A further confrontation took place on August 21, 2024, after a service user complained that crates were obstructing a doorway at the charity’s Hub.
The tribunal heard that Gibbs became angry and swore at volunteers after being informed about the complaint.
Mayes said she stepped between him and the volunteers in an attempt to prevent the situation from escalating. Gibbs then allegedly turned his anger towards her, accusing her of making allegations about sexual abuse during the earlier meeting with trustees.
According to her account, he screamed in her face, repeatedly asserting: “I am the CEO.”
Mayes described being left “in a state” after the incident. She was subsequently instructed to work from home, although she had not been formally suspended.
At a later meeting with trustees, she said the confrontation had left her frightened and intimidated. She recalled leaving the Hub, getting into her car and crying.
She also repeated her concerns about Gibbs’ alleged sexualised dancing in front of members of the public.
Anonymous Message Leads to Disciplinary Action
On September 4, 2024, the trustees received an anonymous communication from an employee of a local housing association. The message claimed that Mayes had been complaining about Gibbs during a community meeting.
Gibbs accused her of encouraging others to turn against him because she was worried about her job. The trustees subsequently began to believe that a “witch hunt” was being organised against the chief executive.
A fact-finding meeting involving Mayes and the trustees took place on September 12.
Mayes believed the discussion would focus on her working relationship with Gibbs and the aggressive incidents she had reported. However, the trustees also questioned her about the community meeting and the anonymous communication, matters she had not been told would be raised in advance.
She explained that the August confrontation had involved Gibbs swearing at her and behaving aggressively towards volunteers and service users. She acknowledged that she might have responded with swear words but said she had stood up to him because of the way he was treating her at work.
Charity Dismisses Mayes for Gross Misconduct
Following the fact-finding meeting, the charity invited Mayes to a disciplinary hearing.
The letter informing her of the decision accused her of participating in a group established with the “malicious aim” of removing the current management and the CEO of The Carrbridge Centre.
A disciplinary meeting was held on September 30, 2024, after which Mayes was dismissed for gross misconduct.
She appealed against the decision, but the charity upheld her dismissal. She then brought the case before Liverpool Employment Tribunal.
Judge Criticises Charity’s Handling of Investigation
Employment Judge Alan Johnson concluded that The Carrbridge Centre had not properly considered the evidence gathered during its investigation.
The tribunal found that the trustees had placed considerable reliance on information from an anonymous witness who claimed Mayes had encouraged others to oppose Gibbs.
However, they had not obtained sufficient details about what was allegedly said at the community meeting.
The judge said the charity had reached its decision without having meaningful evidence explaining the substance of the alleged discussions or establishing what Mayes had actually said.
The tribunal therefore found that the dismissal was unfair.
Former Employee Awarded £2,160 in Compensation
Mayes was awarded £2,160 following the successful unfair dismissal claim.
Her separate allegation that she had been dismissed because she made a protected disclosure was not upheld.
The ruling followed the tribunal’s finding that the charity had failed to carry out a sufficiently thorough assessment of the evidence before dismissing her for gross misconduct.
