A HIGHLY respected and experienced estates manager at Hereford's blind college was sacked and thrown before the courts after being wrongly accused of theft.

Keith Michael Davies, 55, had sold a 'rotten' mobile drinks bar for the scrap value of £10 and given the money back to the college.

However, senior college staff accused him of selling the item they valued at £300 on Ebay for his own personal gain.

Davies, of Tintern Close, Belmont, Hereford, was found not guilty after trial of theft by finding at Hereford Magistrates Court.

The court heard that the drinks bar had been left rotting in a shed at the college for several years before being transferred to Davies' house and listed on Ebay.

Principal Mark Fisher was informed that the mobile bar was missing and tried a search on Ebay, finding that it had been previously for sale on Davies' personal account.

Tim Talbot-Webb, prosecuting, said that the Royal National College for the Blind's commercial manager challenged Davies over the whereabouts of the bar.

"Davies replied saying he hadn't seen it for some time," said Mr Talbot-Webb.

"That was lying to cover his tracks. There was a procedure of what to do with scrap metal and he was dishonest in the emails."

When interviewed by police, Davies said he had sold the missing bar.

Defence witnesses said Davies had been given permission to clear everything in the shed last year by former principal Sheila Tallon, including the mobile bar to create more space for storage.

He had previously sold unwanted items for the college on Ebay.

Davies' ex-partner Karren Gough said that on February 13, two men had came to visit Davies' house to view the mobile bar after seeing it advertised and took it with him up to the college for inspection.

She added: "When he came home Davies said that it was a waste of time and that the bar was all rotten on the inside and that he just got £10 for it for scrap to save the lads breaking it up."

Colleague Yesenia Cottrell who worked in finance and administration said she had seen items put on Ebay and the money raised was used for the college.

"The technology department also put stuff on Ebay," she added.

The magistrates heard that other items were often donated to local schools, burnt or thrown in the skip.

Since the police investigation, policies have been put in place regarding the disposal of items and the college has its own Ebay selling account.

Emma Prosser, mitigating said Davies sold the bar in the honest belief that he was allowed to dispose it.

"This is something he has done during his 20 years' service and was in reality a working practice," she said.

"What he did was him doing his job and he wasn't dishonest."

Following the trial, Davies said the case had destroyed his career.

He added: "I have told them the same story all along but they wouldn't listen to me.

"The college was my life."