Blacklist sentence to move to Crown Court

Construction union UCATT has warmly welcomed the decision that blacklister Ian Kerr will be sent for sentencing in a Crown Court.

Kerr was tried today by Macclesfield Magistrates Court. He pleaded guilty but failed to attend in person.

However the Magistrates decided against sentencing Mr Kerr because they said the maximum fine of £5,000 they could levy was “wholly inadequate”. The case has now been transferred to the Crown Court where Kerr could face an unlimited fine.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, described Mr Kerr’s failure to attend as: “Gutless” and “showing contempt for justice.”

Ritchie added: “The magistrates’ decision should be applauded. Mr Kerr set out to ruin construction workers’ lives. He deserves the maximum possible sentence.”

Blacklisting is not currently illegal, although the Government is pledged to resolve the matter this autumn. Kerr was charged for offences under the Data Protection Act.