Canterbury College has been ordered to pay an ex-employee £24,888 after she won her case for unfair constructive dismissal.

Helen Topliss, 51, was subjected to "an intimidating, hostile and offensive" environment, caused by her subordinate Keith Strong after she investigated his poor work performances.

Mr Strong – who has a police caution following a fracas with bouncers – continued to be employed by the college while Mrs Topliss suffered stress and depression and eventually quit her job as a faculty head last year.

After the final hearing of an employment tribunal, she said: "It was always a matter of considerable regret that I had to bring a case against Canterbury College at all.

"It has been a trying two years, but I feel a great sense of relief that the truth is now out and that I was vindicated by the tribunal, who unanimously found in my favour in their judgement.

"The case was never about money, it was about justice."

Mrs Topliss added she will bring a personal injury claim against the college because of the "considerable stress I have had to endure".

College principal Alison Clarke said: "The college has an excellent staff of more than 800 and prides itself on being a good employer.

"Managers and staff work as hard as they can right across the organisation to ensure that the college is a great place to work and learn, and if there are lessons to be learnt then we will look carefully to see how we might further improve on our very good record."

Earlier this year, the three-man tribunal panel found Mrs Topliss began suffering at Mr Strong's hands after she discovered that the ex-soldier had entered weeks of false claims on a student register.

He reacted aggressively and confronted Mrs Topliss, which the tribunal heard made her feel "uncomfortable and threatened", and that his continued presence in the college was "deeply disturbing".

"I feel a great sense of relief that the truth is now out and that I was vindicated by the tribunal, who unanimously found in my favour in their judgement..." - Helen Topliss

She resigned in May 2012 when the college kept Mr Strong on. He later left the college, but was subsequently rehired.

The tribunal panel upheld Mrs Topliss's claim for unfair constructive dismissal and ruled the college had failed to protect her from harassment from Mr Strong.

A similar claim made by a colleague of Mrs Topliss, Samantha Colbear-Pyke, was rejected by the panel.

At the hearing in Ashford, panel chairman Judge Martin Kurrein berated the college's solicitors for the sloppy way they had presented their evidence.

He said: "How many times have I told you to put things in chronological order? This beggars belief and, quite honestly, I lose the will to live.

"How much do you pay your solicitors? You should be embarrassed."