A FORMER trainee solicitor has won a legal battle with a North Yorkshire district council after an employment tribunal upheld his claims for unfair dismissal and breach of contract.

Before the tribunal began the judge, Jennie Wade, listened to recordings secretly made by David Bowes of meetings between him and two of his managers at Hambleton District Council, Laura Venn and Gary Nelson. The recordings formed part of evidence presented by Mr Bowes’ barrister, Sam Healy, of Dere Street Chambers in York.

His case for unfair dismissal and breach of his apprenticeship contract was upheld following a tribunal hearing at Middlesbrough.

A financial settlement has since been agreed out of court.

The council said it did not agree with the judgement but respected the judge’s decision and comments, adding it was not in the taxpayers’ interests to pursue an appeal.

Mr Bowes, 27, a law graduate and former business community support officer at the authority, resigned after being on sick leave, having sought medical help for stress and anxiety.

He had started at the council in July 2013 and became a trainee solicitor in November 2014 after applying for an internal vacancy. But he became the target of criticism, largely for the length of time it took for him to complete legal work, though he said he was trying to be thorough.

After the tribunal’s ruling Marie Horner, head of employment law at Harrowells Solicitors in York, who brought the case, said Mr Bowes was trying to work to the best of his ability and complete his training, but was sent formal warning letters without any regard to due process under employment law.

She said eventually Mr Bowes tried to resolve the situation by asking the local authority’s current chief executive’s advice on submitting a grievance about how he was being managed, but he was urged to withdraw it.

Ms Horner claimed an investigation into his claims was not reasonable and instead he was told he did not have a grievance.

Mr Bowes said: “Even winning this case is a hollow victory as I have still lost my training contract.

“No monetary award can make up for the fact that I now look highly unlikely to fulfill my dream of qualifying as a solicitor, especially as I spent more than £20,000 on tuition fees alone to gain my legal qualifications.”

The authority’s chief executive, Dr Justin Ives, said: “Hambleton District Council doesn’t agree with this judgment but it respects the Judges’s decision and comments.

“However, it is not in the taxpayers’ interest to pursue an appeal.”

Asked whether the council’s processes would be reviewed as a result of the case, he said: “Our processes are up to date and kept under constant review.”