Craig Woodward
A Mid Wales businessman who suffered a stroke shortly after being told he was to lose his job told an employment tribunal the company that employed him had given him a lack of information about his role and the state of the firm.
Father-of-four Craig Woodward is claiming unfair dismissal, breach of contract and disability discrimination against satellite locator company Zoombak.
The company, a subsidiary of multi-billion dollar US firm Liberty Media, whose business interests include QVC, Expedia and the Atlanta Braves baseball team, denies the claims.
Under cross examination by Jane McCafferty, for Zoombak, Mr Woodward said he had been led to believe he would be given three months’ notice of termination of employment and he was in line for a promotion.
He told the tribunal he had tried to get clarity on his role and the state of the company on numerous occasions but nobody would speak to him.
He said: “The business was always making promises it was reneging on and it drove me insane, I was losing my mind.”
The tribunal, which opened in Shrewsbury on Thursday, heard the 35-year-old, from Tregynon near Newtown, was Zoombak’s UK senior vice president, earning a basic salary of £125,000.
On the opening day Mr Woodward, who still has severe health problems, said he worked up to 17 hours a day under extreme stress and deprived himself of sleep as he tried to make Zoombak a success.
The tribunal was told Zoombak’s American bosses decided to close the company’s UK arm because of poor sales.
Mr Woodward said he was told of the decision in November 2008 and it came as a shock.
He fell ill and suffered a stroke, followed by depression, the tribunal heard.
During submissions, Helen Barney, for Mr Woodward, said her client had not been properly consulted about the closing of the UK branch and sufficient steps had not been taken to find him another role within the company.
The tribunal chairman Paul Cadney said he would retire to consider his verdict yesterday and that an outcome would be expected in the next few days.
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