Sorry Dave, hand washing from above is not an acceptable defence. Either way, the buck still stops with Jimmy as far as I am concerned.
If I worked directly with 20 folk on a day to day basis and half of them managed to, or even thought it was acceptable, to go behind my back to do something I deemed unacceptable I would be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed. I would also expect to hauled up by my bosses along with those responsible.
Likewise, if I had said "On you go lads, just don't do anything stupid!"
Hindsight is wonderful thing, and denial (lets face it even if he did allow them to go out he's not likely to admit it now) should not be an acceptable "get out jail card" for Jimmy.
Maximum club fines all round, as far as I am concerned, along with extra community work over the summer.