A PRIMARY school teacher was sacked after being accused of sending a spate of poison pen letters and e-mails, an employment tribunal heard yesterday.

Police were called in to investigate allegations that Margaret Tasker was the author of a hate campaign about the running of a Church of England school.

Mrs Tasker, 52, was removed from her post, but denied any part in the affair and claimed unfair dismissal.

She denied writing critical letters that were posted to members of staff and other schools in the area, but claimed she had been victimised over her trade union membership.

A tribunal in Liverpool heard Mrs Tasker had worked as a teacher at Cinnamon Brow CE School in Warrington, Cheshire, since 1982.

In June 2001, a series of poison pen letters and e-mails were received by members of staff at the school and other schools in the Warrington area.

Mrs Tasker was suspected of being the author and suspended from duty.

The tribunal heard that the police investigation uncovered no evidence against her. Nevertheless, she was dismissed in July 2002 and five months later the governors' panel confirmed the sacking.

Referring to the hate mail, school governor Mr Ward said: "The decision to dismiss her was not taken lightly but we felt that we had more than enough evidence to reach our decision."

At the suggestion of tribunal chairman Eryl Lloyd-Parry the two parties reached a settlement.

Outside the tribunal Mrs Tasker said: "I have got to get on with my career now and put this behind me."