And finally…the big siesta

According to reports, Carles Recio, head of Valencia’s Proceedings Archive, spent ten years clocking on at his place of work every morning at 7.30 then immediately going home.

He would then return at four o’ clock in the afternoon to clock off.

Recio claims he carried out all his work duties out of office, handling legal proceedings and advising politicians.

“I’ve been working like a dog,” he defiantly told Spanish TV channel La Sexta.

“Working like a dog so that others can reap the rewards of my work.”

However, there’s not a single record of the bibliographical reports on proceedings that as head of the division he would have to hand in on a regular basis to Valencia’s council.

He later claimed he was the victim of harassment at work as his reason for not “working” from the offices.

But having since been sacked from his position and a case was opened against him, a Valencia court has found him guilty of “clearly intending to not go to work and carry out his work duties for a continued period of time”, for which he received two separate penalties.

It hasn’t been disclosed whether Recio was ordered to pay any of his salary back.

But judges also criticised Valencia’s Council for displaying “a passive attitude” while allowing Recio’s absenteeism to carry on unchecked.

The authority’s negligence means Recio has not been banned for life from holding any public post and could in theory return to work for Valencian authorities in nine years.