A magistrate yesterday ordered the immediate arrest of an employer who was taken to court by his former employees after he failed to pay them for work.

Daniel Farrugia, owner of Dolphin Industrial Service, has seven pending court cases against him for failing to pay his employees and yesterday failed to turn up for the sitting.

Magistrate Carol Peralta noted that he had been served the summons and said his behaviour was unacceptable.

In recording a note in the acts of the proceedings, Magistrate Peralta said the court had been patient with Mr Farrugia for a long time and had given him the opportunity to carry on with business in order to pay his former employees.

There were many employees and the money they were owed was substantial. As far as the court knew, the payments had not been effected and this was creating a precarious situation for them, as they had families to look after and no money. The magistrate ordered that Mr Farrugia be arrested immediately and taken to court tomorrow morning to explain why he had not turned up yesterday.

The former employees, who were present in court, were told by Magistrate Peralta that they had worked hard for their money. He was worried that if he imprisoned Mr Farrugia, they would be unable to claim what he owed them.