A STOURPORT boat building firm has been told to pay a sacked employee more than £13,000 compensation for unfair dismissal after failing to allow him to appeal against the decision.

Stephen Spragg, of Stourbridge Road, Stourport, had been employed as a boat builder for 14 months by Severn Valley Boat Centre, a Birmingham employment tribunal was told.

Mr Spragg, who earned £300 a week gross for a 48-hour week, sought compensation for unfair dismissal after complaining he was not given an opportunity to appeal against the dismissal decision.

Mr Spragg was represented by Army officer Nick Clarke, who said he had helped Mr Spragg with his correspondence because of his medical condition.

Mr Spragg said he had been suffering from depression following his dismissal and had been unable to find another job because he was being treated by his doctor.

The firm did not attend the hearing but said in a letter that Mr Spragg had previously been given a written warning about his absenteeism from work and his alleged drinking. "On one occasion, he was absent for three days," said the firm's statement.

Mr Clarke said the dismissal had led to Mr Spragg's depression.

He had been involved in the building of narrowboats and offshore plastic boats.

Mr Spragg said one of his bosses called him to the firm's canteen and told him: "We are having to let you go."

Mr Spragg told the tribunal: "It was just after 9am and I then went home. Later, I phoned the owner, Roger Page, and asked if he would take me back but he said 'no'."

Tribunal chairman, Donald Perry, said the tribunal's decision was that Mr Spragg had been unfairly dismissed.

He awarded Mr Spragg a total of £13,510 but said that income tax and national insurance contributions would have to be deducted from some of the award money.

"We have increased the award by 30 per cent because the firm failed to carry out the correct disciplinary and dismissal procedure in accordance with the Employment Act," said Mr Perry.