A RECOVERY service business went into liquidation a month after it was ordered to pay £11,000 to a former member of staff who was unfairly dismissed.

Robert Saban, 30, of Darlington, who worked for Auto Recovery Services Limited in 2009-10, was told he had been dismissed in September 2010, shortly after taking a two week holiday.

He claims he has not been paid the money an employment tribunal awarded to him on February 15.

Mr Saban says he is angry he has not been paid and, because he failed to obtain a good reference from his exemployer, has found it difficult to find work and is now claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

Auto Recovery Services went into liquidation on March 10 this year.

It had a contract from a company named Carillion to pick up vehicles which had broken down on the A1 between Dishforth and Barton.

The head office was registered at Macklin Avenue, Cowpen Lane Industrial Estate, Billingham, with John Heads named as a company director.

When Auto Recovery Services was liquidated, Mr Saban was not listed as one of the creditors by the company, so received no money.

The document outlining the tribunal’s decision said: “From September 2009 the claimant was required for a contract from Carillion to recover vehicles which had become immobilised within the roadworks between Dishforth and the Barton turn-off on the A1. The claimant was based at Leeming Bar.

“Mr John Heads, in his evidence, alleges that he had bad news for the business at about the same time the claimant took his holiday.

“He referred in particular to not having been successful in tendering for another contract on the M62.

“On September 10, 2010 (Mr Saban) rang and spoke to Mr John Heads, who told him that he did not want him working for him and he should not bother going in.

“No other evidence of downturn has been produced to the tribunal.

“There has been no evidence of company accounts, no evidence from Carillion of downturn and no evidence of contraction of work other than Mr Heads’ somewhat unsatisfactory and unconvincing assertion.”

The document added: “The respondent’s contention that this was a redundancy dismissal was not supported by the facts as we have found them.

“It is not for us to find the true reason for the dismissal, but it would appear to have been related rather to the claimant’s absence on holiday at a time inconvenient to the respondent. Accordingly, the dismissal is unfair.”

In October 2011, a new business was registered – Auto Recovery Services 2011 Limited – with a head office listed as Unit 306, The Innovation Centre, Vienna Court, Kirkleatham Business Park, Redcar.

The business has the same company director, Mr Heads, and lists its activities as auto recovery.

Mr Saban, who is originally from Slovakia, has applied to ACAS to try to obtain the £11,000 he is owed.

Mr Heads declined to comment.