Paula Poolton killer loses Royal Mail unfair sacking case

Roger Kearney lied to police about his whereabouts, his trial heard

A Royal Mail worker from Hampshire who was sacked when he was charged with murdering his married lover has lost his case for unfair dismissal.

Roger Kearney, 57, said Royal Mail breached his human rights when it sacked him ahead of his trial.

He was later found guilty of killing 40-year-old Paula Poolton.

Tribunal Judge Raymond Trickey said he found Kearney was dismissed because being charged with murder was inconsistent with standards expected.

Kearney had been seeking £8,225 at the hearing in Reading for loss of earnings he said he should have been paid while on bail.

Royal Mail began disciplinary proceedings against him after he was arrested and charged with murdering Ms Poolton, whose body was found in her car near Swanwick railway station in October 2008.

Royal Mail denied Kearney was unlawfully dismissed in December 2009.

Paula Poolton had worked with Kearney

Kearney, of Sarisbury Green, was later jailed for life with a 15-year minimum tariff.

During his murder trial it was heard that Mrs Poolton, 40, and Kearney had been having an affair in the summer of 2008.

Kearney stabbed her to death when she started putting pressure on him to leave his partner, the court was told.

He then fabricated an alibi to cover his tracks.

Kearney had worked with Mrs Poolton when they were stewards at Southampton Football Club but her husband and his partner were unaware of the affair.