BOARD members and senior management of the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service have been severely criticised for tolerating the unacceptable behaviour of its former chief officer towards his ex-PA.

In a strongly-worded judgment, an employment and discrimination panel ruled that there was no denying the hurt and upset that Neil Tucker had caused Jean Guilbert.

Panel chairman Georgette Scott said the board had chosen to move Mr Tucker to a new role with less day-to-day contact with staff rather than deal with the issue of his poor people management skills in a more resolute and direct way.

Mrs Guilbert (pictured) had claimed at a hearing that she had had no choice but to leave the service last May after Mr Tucker had treated her ‘more like a piece of furniture than a human being’.

Her complaint was upheld unanimously and Mrs Guilbert was awarded the maximum sum of six months’ pay – £13,579.

Senior officers, the HR manager and the board were often witnesses to Mr Tucker’s inappropriate treatment towards Mrs Guilbert and her complaints were ignored.

In a statement released yesterday, the board said it was aware of the panel’s judgment but did not wish to comment further, although it did confirm that Mr Tucker remained suspended. ‘That being the case, it is inappropriate that the reasons for that suspension be commented on until matters have been resolved.’

Mr Tucker said yesterday that he had and still did deny the claims that had been made against him, but he was unable to comment further for contractual reasons.

Mrs Guilbert said she was obviously delighted at the panel’s decision and said it vindicated the position she had maintained over the lack of support from her ex-employer.