A blundering caretaker gave away a £5million antique because he thought it was rotten and destined for the bonfire.
Brian Wilson was sacked from his job at a 16th century manor house after he let a car salesman walk off with the 460-year-old decorative piece bearing the royal coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth I.
He thought the oak overmantel was riddled with wood worm and dry rot and told a tribunal he thought giving it away would save him burning it.
But despite his gaffe, he still won his claim for unfair dismissal.
The hearing heard Mr Wilson gave the antique to Andrew Potter, who he said had turned up at Seighford Hall in Stafford and asked to rummage through the “ fire pile”.
The Grade II listed building has been derelict for almost two decades and was bought last year by First Blue Leisure, which plans to turn it into a hotel.
Auctioneers decided the overmantel was in “excellent condition for its 400-plus years” with “minimal damage”.
In October 2020, managing director Thomas Butler invited Mr Wilson to a meeting concerning the sale of fireplaces, a tractor and “handing over a historic artefact” without authorisation.
Mr Wilson did not attend and said he did not receive any letters about it as he had moved home.
Despite not having Mr Wilson’s input, Mr Thomas sacked him for gross misconduct.
Employment Judge Kate Hindmarch ruled he was unfairly dismissed as he had not been told of the decision to fire him.
She awarded him £4,065.82 in unlawful deduction from wages and untaken holiday pay.
But she concluded: “I have found [Mr Wilson’s] actions were without permission and that he was not credible in his explanations. His behaviour was blameworthy, and I find the basic award should be nil.”
