The director of a British-based company that supplied vegetable harvesting workers in the U.K. has been stripped of his license because he 'couldn't be bothered' to comply with regulations. 

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) - a government-run operation dedicated to stamping out illegal practices and modern slave labor - prosecuted Peter Milewski, the person named as being responsible for the day-to-day running of England-based P & M Groundworks.

During a hearing last year, the company had its license revoked following a GLA inspection that showed the director 'not fit or proper' to run a compliant business.

At this time, Milewski admitted he was given access to all the necessary advice and guidance by the GLA, but by his own admission 'could not be bothered to read it'.

The company director also admitted falsely claiming value-added-tax for fuel and worker accommodation costs that were not incurred by his business.

According to a GLA release, he had claimed VAT back for rooms paid for directly by his employees, and also transported workers in a mini bus that he was not licensed to drive.

The court was also told that the company's records were insufficient to prove that workers were receiving the national minimum wage.

P & M Groundwork appealed against the GLA's revocation decision claiming that it was wrong and 'disproportionate', and the appeal allowed the company to continue trading until the case was concluded.

However, an employment judge has now agreed with the GLA's verdict and ordered the revocation to come into effect from yesterday (Feb. 17).

"The slipshod attitude and actions demonstrated by the appellant in this case falls way short of the standards the GLA and the public demand to ensure workers in our regulated sector are not exploited," GLA chief executive Paul Broadbent says in the release.

"Whether through a lack of will, awareness or both, there were a number of requirements that were simply not being met or even considered.

"We licence nearly 1,000 gangmasters and the overwhelming majority are ethical and comply with our standards but P & M Groundworks demonstrated during our inspection and subsequent appeal hearing that they are certainly not one of them."

P & M Groundworks failed two critical standards worth 30 penalty points each as well as one non-critical standard worth eight points to accrue a total of 68 points. A license is revoked when 30 points are reached.

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