Tycoon's butler loses sacking battle over early chicken dinner

A property tycoon has won a court battle with his butler and cook following a row over a roast chicken dinner.

Multi-millionaire Kevin Cash, 47, was accused of dismissing the husband and wife who worked at his family's Oxfordshire home after the meal was served an hour before he had wanted it.

It was claimed by Francisco de Sousa that Mr Cash went into a rage with his wife, cook and housekeeper Maria de Sousa, at North Aston Hall.

However, a Reading employment tribunal which described Mr Cash as having "effectively limitless" wealth, found he was not "someone who would care very much about the time he ate a meal". Instead tribunal judge Robin Lewis ruled that Mr Cash had reacted to Mr de Sousa's criticism of his wife Carla Cash, and instead of firing him, told him to get out of the house.

"We find that Mr Cash did not want Mr de Sousa to be part of his household after he had spoken rudely and disrespectfully about Mrs Cash," he said.

The tribunal ruled that Mr de Sousa had not been unfairly dismissed, but that both Mr and Mrs de Sousa should be awarded £927 as three weeks owed in holiday pay.

After the hearing Mr Cash criticised Mr de Sousa for taking him to the tribunal. "The action brought against me was unwarranted, untrue and, as expected, unsuccessful," said Mr Cash. "It's been a complete waste of everyone's time. I'm pleased justice has been done."