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A professor at a top university was suspended for nine months after he was accused of sighing and being sarcastic during job interviews. Thomas Docherty was banned from the University of Warwick in January following allegations he had given off “negative vibes” and undermined the authority of the former head of the English department.

The English and Comparative Literature professor was said to have been “making ironic comments” and “projecting negative body language” when interviewing candidates for a job.

Docherty was banned from the campus and from writing references for students without permission during the suspension.

He was also stopped from returning their work or providing guidance on PhDs and was not permitted to have contact with undergraduates.

Yesterday it emerged the professor – whose suspension was lifted last month – is set to be cleared of all allegations against him.

Docherty who is well-known as a critic of the marketisation and bureaucratisation of higher education in the UK, said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to teaching, working with students and colleagues, and writing again, as normal.”

Writing on Facebook page set up by students to show support for the popular professor, he added: “I’m now able to say that none of the allegations against me were upheld. Throughout this past year, I’ve been deeply moved and touched by the level of support that I’ve received. The only way I can think of beginning to repay that is through my teaching and writing – and I look forward to returning properly to that in the hope that it will be adequate to what you deserve.

“There are many colleagues – students as well as staff – whose position has been more difficult than mine.

“They now deserve the benefit of our combined reasoning, arguing, and sustained democratic debate.

“Thanks again to you all – and, with luck, I’ll see some of you in class, in conference, or just around and about.”

Katja Rebmann, a research assistant at the university, said: “Your teaching has been and I’m sure will continue to be inspiring – very pleased to have you back.”

The University and College Union (UCU) – who welcomed the lifting of the suspension – have now blasted the University of Warwick’s procedures.

UCU regional official Anne O’Sullivan said: “It beggars belief that an academic can be suspended with no contact with students or colleagues for almost a year while charges are finalised.

“The one thing this protracted process should ensure is that the University of Warwick looks closely at its internal procedures. There’s clearly the need for a better structure to deal with these kinds of issues and to ensure that academics have a speedier form of redress. – AFP