PlusNet's sacked chief exec could sue

Lee Strafford, the former chief executive of internet service provider PlusNet, who was dismissed earlier this week by PlusNet's new owner BT, is reported to be consulting lawyers over his dismissal.

An article in Wednesday's Independent suggested that Strafford and finance director Neil Comer, who both left PlusNet on Monday, had been sacked for "plotting to establish a new business that would have been to the detriment of PlusNet".

The newspaper's source went on to say that the plan "involved rolling out PlusNet's software platform internationally with the help of BT". It is unclear whether this comment refers to PlusNet's online customer relations management platform, WorkPlace, which was one of the main assets that attracted BT in the first place.

When questioned by ZDNet UK on Wednesday, PlusNet referred enquiries to BT. 

BT refused to comment on Strafford and Comer's dismissals. BT's spokesperson did, however, say that the company remained "confident that the team have the expertise to drive growth and development for PlusNet in the future", and insisted that "these departures will not have any bearing on the timetable for integration into BT".

The current acting chief executive for PlusNet is Neil Laycock.