A NORTHLEW bird lover who reported her employer to the police for destroying four house martin nests this week lost her claim for unfair dismissal at an Exeter tribunal. Carol Roberts, aged 39, resigned after finding the nests at Anglers' Paradise fishing centre near Halwill had been washed away on the orders of owner Zyg Gregorek. She claimed she was forced to resign and that she was a whistle blower who was entitled to be protected by new employment laws. Mr Gregorek told the tribunal the birds had moved on and the nests were empty, but RSPB officer Mark Thomas told the hearing he believed the nests were 'active' when destroyed. Mrs Roberts lost her claim at Tuesday's tribunal but was awarded £536.32 holiday pay. Tribunal chairwoman Christa Christensen said the panel accepted she had genuine concerns over the welfare of the birds and had raised it with her employers. She ruled Mrs Roberts had over-reacted by walking out of her job and would only have a claim if she had been sacked for going to the police and the RSPB. Mrs Christensen said: 'Mrs Roberts's response was not a reasonable one. It was a genuine one for her but it was too extreme for her to conclude that her trust and confidence in her employer was irretrievably damaged. 'If she had been dismissed she might easily argue that would allow her to bring a claim.'
