I just read your post and I'm so shocked that this type of thing can still happen in todays day and age. I really think you should seek legal council, and look into sueing for unfair dismissal. They would probably take on your case for a % of the payout, so there would probably be no upfront cost. I know the timing is bad with everything else that is going on, but I think if I were in the same situation I'd do it just on the principle.