False allegation of theft by a colleague with no evidence

[Stephanie27]

There has been a false allegation made about me in the workplace by a colleague who I thought was my freind. He has written a statement claiming that within the four hours I worked with him on shift, that I made a wrap (I work in a kitchen), didn't pay for it and stood there eating it. It's prohibited to eat anything in the kitchen, even food you have paid for. Every shift where I am entitled to a food break, I always order and pay for it before cooking then eating it outside of the kitchen. I was pulled into the office yesterday and suspended for 48 hours full pay prior to investigation.
There isn't any cctv in the kitchen and it boils down to my word against his. The pub has bad stocks for over 2 months now but I am nothing to do with this. I don't understand why my colleague would write a statement which is a blatant lie. The manager during the suspension meeting even pulled out the till record of my purchase of my meal on that shift.
I really don't have a clue what's going on, if the world was a just one then I know I'd have nothing to worry about as I'm innocent. But let's be honest- the world isn't!
I was so shocked when I was pulled into the office I was gobsmacked. The only thing I could say was "why would I do this? I need this job". There was another manager in there recording everything I said. But the manager basically suspending me just shrugged his shoulders at me. It's all been done very proper, I don't know if I'm being used as a scapegoat for bad stock, or they're making an example of what they think is an easy target. My family is telling me not to panick as I haven't done it, but what I'm bothered is that my colleague has blatantly lied!
I'm always asking for extra hours, last week I did a 15 hour split shift which meant I opened and closed the kitchen so I would have thought that showed my commitment to the job. I've only been there 11 months so I haven't really got any rights either. And through looking online I havent found anything about anyone's colleague making false allegations.
Seriously, the evidence is basically his word vs mine.

[Sidfish]

Re: False allegation of theft by a colleague with no evidence

Sadly you need two years in order to claim unfair dismissal. So if they dismiss you for say gross misconduct without notice, you could argue that this is wrong in a tribunal but all you would be entitled to is your notice pay, which in the absence of anything in the contract would be a weeks pay and any accrued holiday pay.