Rocker’s ex must pay up
Karla Elliott, former wife of Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliott, has told former employees of her Sanas Beauty Salon in Churchtown, which went out of business almost two years ago, that she cannot afford to pay them outstanding wages.
The socialite and former model did not appear before a hearing of the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Dublin yesterday.
Customers of Sanas were highly critical of Ms Elliott’s decision to shut the salon without any notice in January 2009 as vouchers and package deals were being sold right up to its sudden closure.
Ms Elliott claims she is now “clearly embarrassed” by her financial position.
In a letter written last February, Ms Elliott told a former employee that she was unemployed and “surviving” on social welfare payments as a lone parent to look after her 11-year-old daughter.
Ms Elliott also revealed that she has “no real assets in the jurisdiction” and had put her name on the housing list for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Ms Elliott, who has also dated the controversial celebrity chef Conrad Gallagher in the past, indicated that she had also sought help from the Money Advice and Budgeting Service to help plan finance for her daughter’s education.
The Employment Appeals Tribunal yesterday issued an order to compel Ms Elliott to implement a ruling of a Rights Commissioner to pay a former employee of her beauty salon a total of €1,236 owed in wages.
The decision will allow Ms Elliott to be pursued through the courts if she fails to pay the money.
It is understood that other former staff members of Sanas are also planning to take similar action against her to recoup their wages.
