A LABORATORY technician is to appeal after a college fired him for allegedly being drunk.

David Busfield, of North Duffield, admitted to having a drink at lunchtime but said his employers at Selby College summarily dismissed him for being unfit to do his job – which he denies.

Mr Busfield, a physics and engineering technician at Selby College, said his problems began on Thursday, September 2, when he had taken time off to go to a job interview. On his way back to Selby from York, Mr Busfield turned off the A19 to avoid roadworks and as he was passing close to his home, called in to check his post.

There he found his disabled daughter who was upset because of an ongoing problem over gas bills.

While sorting out the bills, Mr Busfield, 61 and a former teacher, admitted having two drinks of Ouzo at about 1.30pm, but said he was nowhere near drunk and perfectly fit to drive.

Later that afternoon he set off back to the college, which was hosting an enrolment day and had no classes running, arriving at around 4.30pm.

With nothing to do until the end of the day, he remained in the engineering staff room telling his colleagues about his interview and his day.

Mr Busfield said: “They seemed to think I was drunk. At about 4.50pm the head of department came into the staff room and I think everybody started telling him I was drunk.”

Mr Busfield drove home shortly after, but on the following Monday he was called to the personnel department and suspended on full pay pending a disciplinary meeting.

That meeting took place on September 29 when some of Mr Busfield’s colleagues testified against him although one supported him. But Mr Busfield received a letter on Saturday telling him he was being sacked and had five days to appeal the decision.

Mr Busfield said he is appealing as he denies being drunk and does not believe two glasses of Ouzo should be enough for a dismissal when he has given 13 years service to the college. He also said that he was not involved in a class at the time and was not responsible for handling chemicals or operating machinery as his dismissal letter stated.

A spokesman for Selby College said: “It is not Selby College’s policy to disclose to the press or any other party details of staff members or individuals who may or may not be subject to disciplinary action.”