Care worker Mrs Close was suspended from work from May 2003 to September 2005 while police investigated a patient's death and established that she was not responsible for it. Also in May 2003 the Council charged her with matters concerning performance, attendance and time-keeping, but could not investigate while the police investigation was ongoing. In September 2005 an internal investigation took place, but the evidence it collected, which was before the subsequent disciplinary hearing, comprised the police investigation witness statements only.