Magistrates deem 拢5000 fine wholly inadequate

Construction union UCATT has warmly welcomed the decision that blacklister Ian Kerr will be sent for sentencing in a Crown Court.

Kerr was tried today by Macclesfield Magistrates Court. He pleaded guilty but failed to attend in person.

However the Magistrates decided against sentencing Mr Kerr because they said the maximum fine of 拢5,000 they could levy was 鈥渨holly inadequate鈥. The case has now been transferred to the Crown Court where Kerr could face an unlimited fine.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, described Mr Kerr鈥檚 failure to attend as: 鈥淕utless鈥 and 鈥渟howing contempt for justice.鈥

Ritchie added: 鈥淭he magistrates鈥 decision should be applauded. Mr Kerr set out to ruin construction workers鈥 lives. He deserves the maximum possible sentence.鈥

Blacklisting is not currently illegal, although the Government is pledged to resolve the matter this autumn. Kerr was charged for offences under the Data Protection Act.