McLaren 'intimidated' air steward

Ron Dennis employed Peter Boland on his Challenger 604 jet

An air steward sacked by McLaren racing boss Ron Dennis has told an employment tribunal that the company sent a private detective to intimidate him.

Peter Boland, 27, of Suffolk, was sacked at the McLaren headquarters in Woking, Surrey, in May 2007.

He is alleging discrimination and victimisation due to sexual orientation by McLaren Group Limited, Absolute Taste and Greyscape.

Mr Dennis and the three companies that he controls deny the allegations.

'Intimidating and violent'

Mr Boland, of Stowmarket, worked for five years as a steward on Mr Dennis' private aircraft, earning �32,000 a year, before he was dismissed for "lacking passion".

Mr Dennis and the three companies have admitted he was unfairly dismissed.

On the second day of the hearing in Southampton, Mr Boland said Steven Cripps went to his London home in November of the year that he was sacked, and threatened him with arrest over a dispute about a company car.

He accused Mr Cripps of tricking his way into his house, saying at first that he was a bailiff before admitting that he was acting on behalf of McLaren.

He said the man's demeanour was "intimidating and violent".

Clinical depression

"I felt utterly defenceless and sick with worry about being arrested in my home," Mr Boland told the hearing.

He said the alleged confrontation was because McLaren said the Mercedes car was owned by a leasing arm of the group and he had to give it back because he was fired.

The tribunal was told that McLaren now agree Mr Boland owns the car but it was pursuing him for �23,000 owed on the vehicle in the county court.

It also heard how Mr Boland had found it "extremely distressing" when he was fired, and it had left him suffering from clinical depression and needing therapy.

The hearing continues.