Suspended Employee - Right or wrong?

[jamesw9020]

Hello,

I wonder whether you could help me, I don't own a business but I'm looking for help with regards to dismissal laws and as there seems to be quite a few business owners here I'm hoping a few of you may be clued up and may be able to advise. Basically, I'm a supervisor at a convienience store in England, one of my workers made the mistake of using twitter to vent her dislike (saying she was dreading work as it meant working with a 'w*nker@') at a fellow employee (not management, same level). The girl who she called a w*nker has been and is a total bitch to her. Basically today my boss has taken her into the office and suspended her until further notice. I'm really annoyed as the girl whos been suspended is a genuinely good worker, probably my best, and it seems to petty. Can my employer sack the girl for 'slagging off' a fellow employee? Also, after the other girl saw the twitter comments she confronted her on the shop floor and they had a bit of a heated exchange. My manager claims that they've received a customer complaint. I don't believe her, as she dislikes the girl and has lied before about complaints. Is she entitled to the details of the complaint? and if I could prove there was no one in store matching the description of the woman who allegedly made the complaint would the allegation become void?

Sorry this is quite lengthy, and I know the girl shouldn't have written what she did, but I don't feel she deserves the treatment she's receiving and want to help if possible.

Any advise at all would be much appreciated.