A PSYCHOLOGY lecturer is suing a college for mental trauma after he returned from sick leave to find bosses had demolished his office with his personal belongings inside.

Michael Laidler, 51, told how he suffered "severe mental illness" at the hands of bosses at New College, Durham, and was unable to return to full-time work.

He is claiming £350,000 damages and loss of earnings for personal injury resulting from negligence and breach of contract.

The High Court in Newcastle heard how former detective Mr Laidler taught psychology to A-level students and degree criminology students for 14 years.

The trouble started in 1994 when he refused to sign a new contract. Returning to work, in September 1995, after sick leave and holiday, he found his office had been demolished.

His barrister Joe Kendal said: "Through the incident, he suffers from severe menta1 illness."

While on leave in September 1995, he was sent a letter from college bosses warning maintenance work was about to take place and, unless he gathered his belongings, they would be removed by workers, said Mr Kendal.

Describing his return to work, the father-of-three, of Pity Me, County Durham, said: "The scene was one of complete disarray. The fact that all my materials and belongings were under a pile of rubble is down to them."

He later discovered another lecturer had been appointed to his position.

He eventually left the college and only had his belongings returned after an 11th-hour decision before a 1997 tribunal. A social security appeal tribunal in 1998 backed his claims of personal injury.

Mr Laidler's said his health had deteriorated since the events and said he had even contemplated taking his own life.

The trial continues.