A PRIMARY school dinner lady who was sacked after telling parents that their daughter had been “bullied” launched a claim for unfair dismissal today.

Carol Hill, 61, lost her job at Great Tey Primary School in Essex, in September 2009 after being accused of breaching confidentiality regulations.

And an employment tribunal in Bury St Edmunds today was told that Mrs Hill, who lives near the school, had been dismissed for “gross misconduct’’.

Mrs Hill claims that she was wrongly sacked, that she was not given a correct notice period and that her rights to freedom of expression under European law were infringed.

The school disputes her claim.

Headteacher Deborah Crabb told the hearing that the girl was not being bullied but “taking part in an inappropriate game which had gone too far’’.

She was found tied to a fence with a skipping rope. A number of boys involved in the incident said they were playing a game called ‘prisoners and guards’ in which the girl was playing the part of a dog.

Mrs Crabb told the tribunal that Mrs Hill had spoken about the incident outside school, telling the girl’s parents that she had been “bullied.”

She added that, by speaking to parents outside school, Mrs Hill was guilty of a breach of confidence and had bought the school into disrepute.

- The hearing continues