A former vicar and Church of England communications officer who branded his bishop “a liar” won a claim for wrongful dismissal and was awarded more than £14,500 at an employment tribunal yesterday.

The Rev David Johnston, 56, immediately called for the Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev James Jones, to resign.

Mr Johnston also claimed the Bishop did not like being in Liverpool and was "unhappy" that he was not appointed Archbishop of York. Dr John Sentamu was appointed to the second-highest post in the Church of England instead.

Bishop Jones became involved after a Sunday newspaper published an article in which it was claimed that Mr Johnston had been unfaithful to his wife Margaret and was having an affair with his personal assistant, the unmarried Diane Pendleton.

In fact, Mr Johnston's marriage had already irretrievably broken down. Mr Johnston accused the Bishop of lying when the Bishop issued a statement to the press claiming he had offered "support" to those involved.

Mr Johnston, who set up a website and blog to record the progress of the tribunal which had been expected to last three days, was awarded £14,534.75p compensation for unfair dismissal from his £31,500 a year post after the tribunal heard that his grievances with Bishop Jones were mishandled by officials.

The tribunal heard he was first suspended after the Sunday People newspaper published false claims he had been unfaithful to his wife Margaret with Ms Pendleton.

The newspaper later withdrew the story and issued a full apology, but the fall-out from it cost Mr Johnston his job, the Liverpool tribunal heard.

In fact his marriage had broken down in January 2006, before he started the new relationship with his colleague.

Five months later, in June that year, he informed his line manager, Liverpool Diocesan Secretary Mike Eastwood, about the situation.

In his statement Mr Johnston said: “On 15th August, I attended a meeting with Bishop James, at which I confided in him why I had been off sick and about the issues that had arisen in my personal life.

“In particular, I told him that my marriage had broken down and that divorce proceeding had begun, and that I was in a relationship with Diane.