A garage owner has been ordered to pay almost £7,700 after he failed to pay three employees the National Minimum Wage.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sought a County Court Judgement against Nelson garage owner Brian Price for £7,683, which included interest, and costs of £585.
The judgement was issued by the Money Claims Centre on August 8.
Mr Price said the unpaid wages were an “honest mistake” and blamed his accountant for the error.
He told Caerphilly Observer he had already settled the outstanding money with two employees, one of which still worked with him at his Dynevor Terrace garage.
He said: “I asked my accountant to do everything for me early on. I thought they were getting what they had to. My accountant washed his hands of it.”
Mr Price added he had tried to settle with the third worker, but the former employee was unwilling to accept a bank transfer payment and wanted a cheque.
Michelle Wyer, Assistant Director, NMW, for HMRC, said: “Our aim is to enforce the law and protect vulnerable workers. We will always assist employers with advice and attempt to resolve issues early on, but we will not hesitate to seek legal protection for those who need it.”