The owners of Otley's 266-year-old paper mill have been found guilty of racial discrimination and constructive dismissal.

P Garnett and Son Ltd was at the centre of a three-day employment tribunal in Leeds last week when Italian Salvatore Barresi called the company and six workers to the tribunal, accusing them of discrimination.

Mr Barresi, who worked as a multi-skilled machinist for nearly seven years, said he received almost daily abuse and finally accepted voluntary redundancy after reaching the end of his tether.

The respondents included Arthur Firth, Peter Evans, Kevin Calder and Mick Wilshire.

Mr Firth is distantly related to Mr Barresi's wife, Debbie, but during the tribunal Mr Firth accused Mrs Barresi of being "out for all she can get."

The couple live in Weston Road, Otley with their three-year-old daughter Valentina.

After an incident in 1995 and another in 2002, along with almost daily abuse, Mr Barresi accepted voluntary redundancy in October 2002 after being diagnosed with depression.

The 38-year-old from Sicily said he had been subjected to nearly seven years of abuse at the mill, which included having teabags and pieces of wood thrown at him, it was claimed, and being teased by colleagues about his accent and command of the English language.

Former colleagues at the company, whose chairman is renowned businessman Dinesh Chandaria, denied the allegations, saying any incidents were simply shop floor banter.

They described Mr Barresi as hot tempered and aggressive and Mr Evans said that Mr Barresi had threatened him with the Mafia.

Tribunal chairman Colin Grazin said that staff at the company had not had any form of equal opportunities training and the long-standing workers at the company had formed a close-knit relationship which Mr Barresi was not part of.

In his closing statement on day three last Friday, May 16 barrister Edward Legard, for the applicant, said that a handful of workers had broken

Mr Barresi's spirit. He said: "This man is a strong person, he's quite tough and that is really what makes it all the more disturbing."

Mr Legard added that as Arthur Firth was a distant relation of Mr Barresi's wife Debbie, the couple had relied on him especially for help when they made complaints.

"Mr Barresi and his wife had placed their confidence in Mr Firth. They hoped he would become their guardian angel, but he did nothing," said Mr Legard.

After the hearing Mr Legard produced a written statement from Mr Barresi. "He particularly wishes to thank his wife for all her devoted love and support over what has been a very difficult period of his life," it read.

P Garnett and Son declined to comment until the tribunal's decision is released in September.