AA boss sacked for brawl sues over stress at work

THE AA drove its former boss to assault a colleague because the breakdown service failed to address his mental health problems, it has been claimed.

Bob Mackenzie has accused the AA of failing to support him in the months leading up to his attack on a fellow executive in 2017 when he was allegedly suffering from severe anxiety and depression.

It is the latest development in an increasingly bitter High Court spat between Mackenzie and the AA.

He was fired as its executive chairman in July 2017 for gross misconduct after he attacked another executive in a hotel bar. He launched a lawsuit against the AA in 2018 alleging wrongful dismissal and suing his former employer for up to £200million – largely over a dispute about an award of shares to Mackenzie that the company seized.

The AA is countersuing over £1.2million in bonuses paid to its former boss.

Mackenzie, 67, never denied hitting his colleague, but claimed it followed months of stress after being overworked.

Now, he has lodged a new claim for personal injury, accusing the AA of failing to support him through his mental health struggles. In a medical report, which forms part of the claim, it is alleged Mackenzie suffered ‘stress related psychiatric disorder, namely severe generalised anxiety disorder and depression’ in the months leading up to the attack.

It is claimed the AA failed to ‘provide him with adequate support and assistance’ and that it ‘was or should have been reasonably foreseeable’ that his increased workload would result in him suffering ‘psychiatric injury’. His lawyers claim the altercation occurred because he was ‘overworked, exhausted, and physically and mentally ill’, adding: ‘As a consequence, he was temporarily unable to exercise full self-control.’

They claim directors were aware of his ill health and list examples of outbursts from Mackenzie in 2017.

The AA denies it knew Mackenzie’s mental health had deteriorated. It claims outbursts of temper were ‘characteristic of his behaviour throughout his employment’ and denies this showed a deterioration in his mental health. It also denies his workload was excessive.

Mackenzie’s lawyer, Daniel Jennings of Wright Hassall, said: ‘Bob Mackenzie is now fit and healthy and looking forward to a return to work.’ He added: ‘Mr Mackenzie is very much looking forward to finally having his say in this claim against the AA.’

An AA spokesman said: ‘The AA refutes all these additional allegations and has filed a full defence.’