A former nurse was yesterday awarded €208,000 after a judge found that he had been unfairly dismissed.

Mario Gerada was 52 when he was fired from the health service as a casual nurse for what the authorities said was a sub-standard service to patients.

He claimed that on April 2, 2008 his employment was terminated for no reason and without being given a chance to defend himself against any allegations.

Furthermore, the Chief Government Medical Officer had registered him as having resigned and not as having been fired.

In court, the Chief Government Medical Officer and the director general of health services said his employment had been terminated because he was not giving patients the desired service, to the detriment of their health.

Mr Justice Silvio Meli condemned the CGMO’s behaviour in declaring that an employee who was actually fired had resigned.

“Such falsification of the truth should be harshly condemned and those in charge should take the necessary action to penalise those responsible for it and ensure this does not happen again to ensure the trustworthiness of all public documents,” the judge said.

This was essential for the assurance of a transparent and serious public service, he added.

Lawyer Robert Abela, appearing for Mr Gerada, submitted that as the termination took place in 2008, when his client was 52, and he could retire at 63, he had 11 more working years left.

As his annual wage was €18,000 he should be awarded €198,000, he said.

Mr Justice Meli upheld his request and awarded him a further €10,000 for psychological consequences and humiliation.