Rainham oil trader sacked after night out in Singapore

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-25333954

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An oil trader from Kent who was sacked after a heavy night out has lost his wrongful dismissal claim.

Andrew Kearns, 38, from Rainham was said to be not in a fit state after a night out in Singapore and missing meetings on a business trip.

Mr Kearns was employed by Glencore UK Ltd from January 2009 until October 2010 when he was dismissed for serious misconduct.

The company contested his claim for damages at the High Court in London.

'Inappropriately inebriated'

Glencore said he failed to attend crucial meetings in the morning, at lunchtime and in the afternoon of 11 October, and it was the latest in a series of alcohol-related incidents.

Mr Kearns agreed he had been out drinking with colleagues until 04:30 local time, but it was not to greater excess than anyone else in the group.

He claimed it had not been compulsory for him to go to the business meetings later that day.

Jonathan Cohen, for Glencore, said: "This is an industry where a mistaken decimal point might result in losses of a very substantial nature.

"An employer cannot be expected to allow an employee who allows himself to become inappropriately inebriated to remain in the workplace."

Mr Kearns received a signing-on bonus of the equivalent of $325,000 (£202,000) when he joined the company and was on an annual salary of $225,000 (£140,000) as well as other benefits.