This Employment Tribunal is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am on 1 June 2026 in Bury St Edmunds and is expected to last for approximately four weeks.
The Claimant is Professor Neil Wyn Evans. The Third and Fourth Respondents are the senior administrative officers of the University of Cambridge: the former Registrary, Ms Emma Rampton, and the current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice. We have voluntarily redacted the name of the Second Respondent.
The matters to be considered by the Tribunal concern allegations made by the Claimant. These allegations are contested by the Respondents, and it will be for the Tribunal to determine the facts and any legal conclusions.
The hearing will take place in public. Evidence presented in open Tribunal — including witness testimony and documents referred to during proceedings — may be reported in line with the principle of open justice. There are no reporting restrictions or anonymity orders in place.
The Claimant’s case raises concerns about governance and institutional response within a prominent academic setting. The Tribunal will hear evidence from multiple witnesses, and the proceedings are likely to examine events affecting a number of individuals connected with the Institute of Astronomy.
Witness statements are typically taken as read and then tested through cross-examination in open hearing. Where such material is relied upon in court, it may be reported fairly and accurately.
Cross-examination is expected to begin during the first week of the hearing, starting with the Claimant, Professor Neil Wyn Evans.
The Claimant is represent by Stuart Brittenden KC (Old Square), the Respondents by Akua Reindorf KC (Cloisters).
Journalists may apply to the Tribunal for access to documents under the principle of open justice. Any such access is subject to judicial discretion. There is no automatic right to inspect the full hearing bundle, though usually access to documents discussed in open court are made available to the press.
Access to the Tribunal should be available online under the principles of open justice. We will update this matter on Monday, as a number of journalists, academics & members of the public have indicated to us problems in obtaining online links.
17 Comments
TheResearcher · 31 May 2026 at 06:52
Thank you for releasing the names of the Third and Fourth Respondents. Hopefully, people who were not aware of the current state of Cambridge University or thought that it is due to HR malpractices alone, can start to see the problem goes way beyond that.
There are surely many current and past members of Cambridge University who are looking forward to see justice in this case, not least because they did not have justice in their own case. Best of luck to Wyn Evans and his lawyers.
JayZee · 31 May 2026 at 07:16
It is fucking unbelievable. Someone is letting the American Queen be cross-examined by a KC in full view of the world. Have you seen her interviews? She is out of her depth with a question like: What is your Favourite Soft Plush Toy?
Also, AQ has no fucking idea what has really been going on, her engagement with the really bad parts of the University is non-existent
TheResearcher · 31 May 2026 at 07:42
“AQ has no fucking idea what has really been going on”
That is her fault. Many people contacted her reporting problems and they were ignored at best. I can assure you that she is well aware my own case for example and I had even more problems because I was a member of her college and complained about her lack of response. Quoting the Senior Tutor, “Professor Prentice confirmed that she did not accept the allegations made against her in the complaint,” and the allegations had been that she had ignored the malpractices I had reported to her.
Full Disclosure · 31 May 2026 at 08:01
When staff reported bullying attempts she did not reply, and instead, allowed the bullying to continue. Let me know if you want a drop link to download the email archive.
21percent.org · 31 May 2026 at 09:09
Yes, please can you provide this. We would like the link to the email archive very much.
Please send to gwynfa61 AT protonmail.com
Or if you prefer, we can use signal
MUSKETEER · 31 May 2026 at 08:28
The level of gross incompetence and negligence of the American Queen is beyond the pale! Word on the street from well informed sources is that in one of the worst scandals still ongoing (e.g. SCM/cancer reserach) she was sent a letter from 4 senior academics with Sir in their prefix and FRS in their title asking to informally see her and express their grave concerns on how the matter was being handled. Guess what: she REFUSED to see them!!!! She is detached and oblivious by design! She only wants MONEY and perks! A total disgrace!
Enough · 31 May 2026 at 09:48
Same. Reported case of a staff member who attempted suicide to the VC and she did not reply. Even though they were at imminent risk of further attempts due to bullying by HR.
21percent.org · 31 May 2026 at 09:54
Please send to gwynfa61 AT protonmail.com
Or if you prefer, we can use signal
Noreply · 31 May 2026 at 10:04
Even head of the staff trade union struggles to receive an audience.
Quod scripsi, scripsi · 31 May 2026 at 09:45
What is concerning is that Akua Reindorf KC (Cloisters) a longtime board member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the EHRC has repeatedly refused to investigate or accept complaints about Cambridge pursuant to their statutory powers. Every Equality Act claim must be notified to the EHRC per the practice direction, and the board must sign off on supporting or intervening. Pays to pay the right Counsel.
Anonymous · 31 May 2026 at 10:29
Oxbridge has links to the entire British establishment. One can reasonably infer that this is the reason why they were never held to account earlier, while the abuses were small and containable, and instead allowed to grow to the scale that they have. You say it is like the Post Office scandal, but that is unfair to the Post Office. The Oxbridge stories – or rather, the full backstory behind recent allegations both published and yet-to-be-revealed – are much bigger.
No Comment · 31 May 2026 at 10:41
Here are minutes from the England and Wales National User Group meeting of precisely two months’ ago (March 2026).
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NUG-Minutes-ET-12-March-2026.pdf?mc_cid=591f2f3e89&mc_eid=88b46ec0a3
The President of the England and Wales Employment Tribunal system, along with the President of the Scotland Employment Tribunal, stated that he had recently met with three individuals from Cambridge receiving funding from the The Employment Lawyers’ Association.
The ELA is “an independent professional body that influences, supports and interacts with the tribunal system from the outside”.
He also “said his judicial office constitutionally precluded him from making policy recommendations but he urged NUG members to read the book carefully when it was launched at the ELA annual conference in May 2026”.
I make no inference from these facts. They are presented simply as the Tribunal system itself has reported them. I have no reason to believe that senior members of the ET system were aware of the magnitude of alleged misconduct at either Oxford or Cambridge or had reviewed the evidence presented in recent and upcoming cases. And I reaffirm my faith in the British tradition of judicial independence and our values of strict adherence to strict and rigorously impartial rule of law – the values for which we were once admired across the world and may we continue to be admired.
? · 31 May 2026 at 10:58
How do you find this material?
Quod scripsi, scripsi · 31 May 2026 at 10:08
For those that are interested, you can email watfordet@Justice.gov.uk with subject heading BUNDLE REQUEST: Evans v Cambridge 3307960/2023
“Dear Judge,
I am an observer in the case of Professor Wyn Evans v The University of Cambridge starting 10:00 am on 1 June 2026 in Bury St Edmunds and is expected to last for approximately four weeks. In accordance with the Supreme Court in Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd v Dring [2019] UK SC 38 may I request a copy of the court bundles so that I can follow along. It is in the interests of open justice that I receive a copy of the bundle. I am happy to receive the bundle via an electronic drop box.”
That way you too will have copies of the witness statments and pleadings.
TheResearcher · 31 May 2026 at 10:21
That is a great idea! It would actually be very useful for me. Do we have to attend in person to have access to this material or wait that remote access is granted hopefully on Monday to ask for the material?
----- · 31 May 2026 at 10:55
I would make your request as soon as possible. It would be wise to have it on the record in case it needs to be presented at a later date as evidence in the event of any failure to comply with Supreme Court: Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd v Dring [2019] (UK SC 38).
Astro · 31 May 2026 at 10:48
Which idiots are handling this case? This is something that took place under Toope, two VCs ago. It is just astonishing mismanagement to expose the present VC to all this? Are the people around the VC trying to decapitate her? It the only explanation I can think of. It’s pretty obvious to most in the IOA that the University will lose this & that it will do huge damage to our department.