THE former manager of Halifax in Halesowen has been awarded more than £30,000 compensation claim after being unfairly dismissed after 14 years service.

However, Marrine Isaq of Queensway,who is of Muslim origin, has lost her other compensation claim for race discrimination.

A previous three day Birmingham Employment Tribunal hearing had been adjourned to make a decision after the respondents, Halifax Bank of Scotland, opposed her claims and accused her of a breach of trust and confidence.

The previous tribunal had been told that Miss Isaq received a phone call from a customer she knew to say he was coming to the bank at Kingstanding, where she was working at the time, for some money.

Miss Isaq was said to have put money into an envelope ready for him and he eventually turned up at 5pm just as the bank was about to close.

Miss Zoe Thompson, representing the respondents, accused Miss Isaq of carrying out serious breaches of banking procedures over five transactions.

“The customer did not use his swipe card and three vouchers, to confirm he had the money, were not signed,” she said.

“Was this sloppy work or was there a deliberate motive ? It was a very odd situation and there was a serious lack of judgment.”

An investigation was launched and Miss Isaq was suspended for several weeks and eventually dismissed. The amount involved was £1,200.

Miss Isaq who had been described by her legal representative, Mr Peter Ward, as honest and upstanding, said the customer was rude, in a rush and partially sighted which justified her “special procedure.”

At the latest hearing tribunal judge Mr John van Gelder agreed with Mr Ward, that the respondents had failed to carry out the proper procedure in preparing to dismiss her.

Mr van Gelder said: “Full details about the allegations made against Miss Isaq were not put to her.”

He said that, as a result, Miss Isaq’s dismissal had been unfair but that she had contributed to the loss of her job by 60 per cent.

“Miss Isaq has requested reinstatement with the HBOS instead of receiving compensation,“ said Mr van Gelder.

But he rejected the reinstatement request after he said the bank had opposed it because they had accused her of a breach of trust and confidence.

Mr van Gelder said Miss Isaq had been unable to find another job and compensation for the loss of wages over the next six months had been included in the award which was £31,406.

An request for an undisclosed amount of costs, made against HBOS by Miss Isaq, was rejected by Mr van Gelder.