Mr L Sonde v Barclays Bank UK plc — 2018

The claimant was dismissed for conduct after the respondent investigated two fraudulent joint account openings handled by him and a separate transaction in which he lent money to a friend/customer for use in a student visa application and later received a larger repayment. The tribunal found that the respondent had reasonable grounds for concluding that the misconduct allegations were proved and that summary dismissal was within the range of reasonable responses.

The tribunal considered alleged procedural defects, including the suspension process, delay, access to CCTV footage, and the role of the Conduct Rules Panel. It found some procedural defects, including delay, the absence of an anticipated end date in the suspension letter, and no offer to view CCTV at the investigatory interview, but held that these did not render the dismissal unfair.

The tribunal found that the Conduct Rules Panel gave guidance on Conduct Rules breaches and did not decide the dismissal sanction. It also found that the appeal decision was made by the appeal manager, albeit after advice and guidance from the Head of the Conduct Rules Panel, and that there was no evidence of improper pressure. Overall, the respondent acted reasonably in treating the misconduct as a sufficient reason for dismissal.