Well-known Norfolk farming company R G Abrey & Sons is embroiled in a High Court case after a member of the family was accused of having an ‘overbearing style’ around the farm and creating a ‘toxic working environment’ by the rest of the family.
Founded by Russell Abrey, and now run by his sons Christopher, Richard and Robert Abrey, and their three sons: Thomas, Giles and Matthew Abrey, the company farms some 6,500 acres near Thetford growing crops including potatoes, onions and carrots. Last year the farm had a turnover of £25 million.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Thomas, who runs the onion operation, has been removed as a director of the business by his uncles and cousins who claim his conduct borders on ‘bullying’.
In response, Thomas, who claims he has been ‘wrongfully excluded’ from the family partnership due to his Scientologist religious convictions, has taken the family to court asking a judge to rule that his relatives cannot bar him from the business.
According to the newspaper, ‘After protracted legal argument during a pre-trial hearing, [Judge Nicola Rushton] ruled in favour of Thomas, making a temporary injunction preventing rival partners ‘from impeding the claimant’s participation in the business of the partnership’.
‘However, she also directed that Thomas cannot contact ‘certain specified people who have asked not to be contacted by him’ and observed that she was making no findings about the factual disputes between the partners, which must be decided at a future court hearing.’
