Jailed boss sues P&O for £6m

CONTAINER shipping giant P&O Nedlloyd is being sued for $11m (£6m) by a businessman who was jailed for drugs offences and claims the company was to blame for his imprisonment.

The businessman, named only as Mr Lehmann, and his company, GCC Investments, allege in their legal action that P&O Nedlloyd failed to exercise proper care in handling a container that was found to contain illegal substances.

Lehmann owned the container, which P&O Nedlloyd was responsible for shipping from Colombia to Dubai, via Rotterdam.

Customs officials at Dubai found narcotics in the container. They arrested Lehmann for possession and he was ultimately jailed.

He alleges that P&O's failure to exercise proper care in handling his cargo allowed the illegal substance to be put in his container.

The action is revealed in a circular to shareholders from ports and property group P&O, which is looking for shareholder approval to sell its 50% stake in the P&O Nedlloyd joint-venture to Dutch partner Royal Nedlloyd.

P&O Nedlloyd said it would vigorously defend the claim, though it could add no further details or even provide Lehmann's first name.