Worker was `paranoid'

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), May 18, 2005

A former Nissan mechanic who claims he was fired as part of a cover-up after revealing a culture of malpractice has been branded "absurdly paranoid".

Father-of-two Alan Richardson, 41, claims he became the victim of a bullying and harassment campaign after refusing to let faulty and dangerous cars leave the production line.

But, on the eve of the final day of an employment tribunal which has lasted a month, John Cavanagh QC for Nissan said the allegations were ridiculous and Mr Richardson's "weird behaviour" had been his own worst enemy.

Mr Cavanagh said Mr Richardson, of Barrington Drive, Washington, had submitted a whistle blowing dossier simply to force his managers to rewrite a poor quality appraisal.

He said the mechanic's actions had been indefensible and had made it impossible for Nissan to investigate his claims.

Mr Richardson was also labelled paranoid after he described a three-minute home visit by managers as "persecution" and refused to speak during meetings.

Mr Cavanagh said Nissan investigated all the claims and tried to encourage Mr Richardson back to work in July 2001 after a near 16-month absence.

An irretrievable breakdown in trust and confidence left them no alternative but to dismiss him. The hearing continues.