Sacked driver may win £600,000

A Connex train driver who was forced to quit his job after exposing safety lapses could win up to £600,000 damages.

Laurie Holden, 49, is the first person successfully to sue a rail operator under the 1998 Public Interest Disclosure Act, designed to protect employees who expose public scandals. He resigned two years ago after repeatedly warning Connex basic safety rules were being flouted.

The chairman of an industrial tribunal in Croydon accused Connex of caring more about its image than passenger safety. Mr Holden said he left his job after being threatened with the sack for taking complaints to the Railway Inspectorate. Connex denied the allegations.

Mr Holden's lawyer, Paul Maynard, said: "We want the damages to reflect the behaviour of Connex."