A company Chief Executive’s expenses claims came under scrutiny with “laser beam precision” in an effort to encourage him to quit, Jersey’s Royal Court has heard.
The court was told on Friday that Colin Macleod, the former Chief Executive of the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, was subjected to an extremely rigorous audit because a group of new Non-Executive Directors wanted rid of him.
Mr Macleod claims that from 2017 new members of the Co-op’s board began conspiring to oust him. He says conspiracy made him ill with work-related stress and led to his eventual resignation in 2019.
The Co-op strongly denies all of the claims.
But Advocate Michael O’Connell, representing Mr Macleod, said the audit of his expenses formed part of the alleged conspiracy.
He said: “They wanted to see all Mr Macleod’s expenses, receipts, chits.”
And he said no other senior manager was audited in the same way.
He told Jersey’s Royal Court: “This wasn’t some standard procedure. There was a very focused, bespoke event being planned. There was laser beam precision on my client.”
And he questioned former Company Secretary Chris Lintell about the audit, saying: “If your expenses only were being audited, you would feel offended, wouldn’t you? Anyone would.
“It would freak you out, wouldn’t it?”
Mr Lintell replied: “I would feel concerned.”
Mr Macleod has already settled the employment case in the Employment Tribunal, and is now making a claim against the organisation for personal injury.
Commissioner Matthew John Thompson is presiding, with Jurats Le Cornu and Powell sitting.
The trial continues this morning and is expected to continue throughout this week.