BY BEYRL PATEMAN

THE wife of a fireworks company boss has sent a rocket to the borough council for its use of "bully-boy" bailiffs.

A County Court judge at Stafford agreed with Dawn Cleaver that two men representing Dukes, a firm used by the Crewe and Nantwich authority, had acted improperly when calling at her home in Newcastle Road, Hough.

One of them, Gordon Worrall, had pretended to be a County Court bailiff during a visit last June, an impersonation he "dishonestly denied" in a statement to police.

The other, Morris Jones, who visited in September 99, had responded to her strenuous efforts to bar his way by pushing her back, breaking the bailiffs' code of practice. The confrontation had been captured on a surveillance camera.

Judge Shand ruled that Worrall's certificate should be reviewed and at the inquiry the bailiff would have to give reasons why he was fit to hold it and why it should not be cancelled.

The judge ordered that the findings against Jones, who had also "not been frank about the physical nature of his involvement" in a witness statement, should be lodged on his bailiff file. He ruled that his over-reaction was insufficient to warrant cancelling his certificate.

Mrs Cleaver submitted an official complaint about the pair after spotting a public notice on the renewal of their licences.

"It asked if anyone had any objections and I decided to voice my concerns. The visits had left me shaken and frightened."

I wrote to the council asking if they intend to continue to use such persons and their company to carry out sensitive and volatile work of distress as their agents," she said.

She also requested details of the authority's insurers so that she could claim for compensation.

Mrs Cleaver has had a reply from the borough's Head of Legal and Property Services, Riddell Graham, stating that the council would continue to instruct Dukes bailiffs.

"He ruled out compensation, claiming the matter was between me and Dukes.

"But I maintain that the council have a responsibility for the kind of people they employ as agents acting on their behalf," added Mrs Cleaver.

Her husband Steve, who runs ACT Fireworks, has been involved in a legal wrangle over council tax involving the borough authority and Dukes for the past two years.

"My complaints were entirely separate. The judge found them proven in open court and made his judgment. I feel the public should know about this," she said.

Mr Riddell Graham said: "Bailiffs are used as a last resort. Clearly we will be looking at the details of this individual case.

"In general Dukes provide a well conducted and professional service which we are happy with."