Judge's blunt two-word response after woman's firing over wife's attack

A tribunal found Paula Smith was unfairly dismissed by the North West Ambulance Service after police dropped enquiries linking her to her wife's criminal case; the judge summed up the tribunal's view with the two-word question "So what?".

An employment tribunal has ruled that a woman was unfairly dismissed by the North West Ambulance Service after being associated with her wife's criminal case. Police had earlier decided not to take further action against the woman after an arrest related to alleged threats, and her bail conditions were lifted. Her wife was later convicted and jailed in 2024 in connection with an attack on their manager. The judge summarised the tribunal's view with a two-word question, noting that the claimant's only involvement was being married to the convicted person. Known details: - Paula Smith was arrested on suspicion of harassment and threatening to kill the manager, but in April 2024 Greater Manchester Police said they would take no further action and lifted her bail conditions. - The trust dismissed her a few weeks later, citing her arrest and her association with someone charged in the attempted murder of their operations manager. - The tribunal found the then 56-year-old was unfairly dismissed and the judge commented that her only involvement was being married to the convicted employee. - The judgment noted the tribunal's response as, "Put bluntly - 'So what?'" and said she is in line for an award of about £14,000 as recorded in the decision. Summary: The tribunal concluded the dismissal was unfair and recorded that the claimant's arrest and association did not justify the trust's actions; the judgment records a potential payment of around £14,000. Undetermined at this time.