A couple who owned a timeshare company has been ordered by a court to refund €126,000 to a former employee who had asked them to handle his financial affairs when he was imprisoned.

Irish born Hugh Glass had filed the application against Anthony and Carmen Spiteri, for whom he worked as a sales manager between 1999 and 2006.

He claimed that after serving his prison sentence he only received €1,165 of his money, which he used to take up a new job in Hong Kong.

The court heard that in 2006 Mr Glass had been going through serious personal problems and was eventually incarcerated. He entrusted his employers to take care of his financial matters while serving the sentence.

He claimed that apart from handing them €135,000 in cash, once his term was over he was supposed to receive the proceeds from the sale of his car, amounting to €5,600, and an extra €1,600 which he had paid as deposit for a new set of curtains.

Moreover, the man claimed that he was still owed €16,800 in commissions for the services rendered to the company between 2002 and 2005.

During proceedings it transpired that the couple had bought a Mercedes worth €18,600 using Mr Glass’ funds.

The couple claimed that some of the money had been invested with no success. They claimed they had paid Mr Glass €31,000 as a final settlement.

The court presided by Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti said that no evidence was presented to confirm that this payment had been affected.

The Judge ruled that the couple’s justification that they had been donated the money on condition that they would finance all Mr Glass’ needs while in jail was not credible.

On the other hand it did not accede to the complainant’s request regarding the commission which was supposedly due for his services as timeshare sales manager, saying that not enough evidence had been presented.

The court, after deducting some expenses made by the couple on behalf of Mr Glass, ordered the couple to pay him €125,885 including the funds he had handed them, proceeds from the sale of his car, and the €350 the deposit on the new curtains.

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