THOUSANDS of workers in the construction industry were denied employment because of a secret “blacklist”, a court heard.
Ian Kerr built up a database of 3,213 people which included highly sensitive and personal information as well as trade union links and employment history, Cheshire magistrates were told.
He then offered the information to construction firms to vet potential employees.
Kerr’s organisation, the Consulting Association, in Droitwich, West Midlands, was raided by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) last March and he was charged with a breach of the Data Protection Act.
Kerr, 66, of Avoncroft Road, Stoke Heath, Worcestershire, did not attend Macclesfield Magistrates’ Court but entered a guilty plea through his solicitor.
Aaminah Khan, prosecuting for the ICO, told the court that Kerr charged firms an annual fee of £3,000 to subscribe to the service and £2.20 to access the details of named individuals.
Kerr ran the blacklist for up to 15 years.
The case was adjourned for a further hearing in the Crown Court.
