A bus driver sacked after testing positive for cocaine has won a substantial pay out by proving the drug came from bank notes handed over by passengers . Alan Bailes was fired by First Bus after 22 years of employment when he failed a saliva test – despite insisting he has never taken drugs . His only explanation was that the trace of the Class A drug had come from the hundreds of pounds in cash he handled that day . Alan Bailes ( left ) has won a five-figure payout from First Bus after he proved that a saliva test which got him sacked for taking drugs was incorrect . Mr Bailes , pictured with his daughter Stefanie ( right ) and his wife Rita ( centre ) was forced to borrow money after being sacked to cover his mortgage payments . It is thought up to 88 per cent of bank notes in the UK carry traces of illegal drugs . After a two-and-a-half year legal battle , Mr Bailes , 58 , has won a five-figure sum from First Bus , which fired him for ‘ gross misconduct ’ in June 2012 . To clear his name , the grandfather-of-three spent £440 on a more accurate hair follicle test through his GP – which proved he had not had drugs in his system for at least 90 days . Despite this First Bus refused to reinstate him . It must now pay out after its appeal against a court ruling of unfair dismissal failed . Alan Bailes has won a five-figure payout from First Bus after he proved that a saliva test which got him sacked for taking drugs was incorrect . Mr Bailes and his wife , Rita , had to borrow money from friends and family to cover mortgage payments while they took the company to an employment tribunal , which ruled he was wrongly dismissed and condemned First Bus ’ s ‘ flawed investigation ’ . Last night Mr Bailes said : ‘ We ’ ve been left feeling stressed , incredibly worried and upset , all for something I didn ’ t do . ‘ I ’ m sure First Bus don ’ t like the fact that the little man took them on and beat them… But I was accused of doing something I knew I hadn ’ t done and I was determined to fight back. ’ Mr Bailes , from Bristol , was asked by First Bus to take a saliva test in May 2012 after an anonymous complaint that he had driven under the influence of cannabis . He had not washed his hands before the test and had eaten his sandwiches after counting the cash , increasing the likelihood of the drug being transferred to his mouth . Mr Bailes said : ‘ I hadn ’ t smoked cigarettes for 16 years and I have never taken drugs in my life . I took the test and ten days later it came back with cocaine . I couldn ’ t believe it. ’ Following his dismissal , Mr Bailes ’ s family found a Daily Mail article about traces of illegal drugs on bank notes . During the tribunal an expert witness presented evidence that the positive result was down to ‘ sample contamination ’ from the money Mr Bailes handled . A study by the Forensic Science Service in 2010 found that almost every British bank note in circulation is likely to contain traces of cocaine . Most bank notes now have traces of cocaine . Contamination is believed to occur within weeks of notes entering general circulation . Notes are either contaminated by coming into contact with someone who has used cocaine , or other bank notes that contain traces . Experts said notes are no longer routinely tested to identify drug users and dealers because most contain background traces of cocaine . The number of notes detected is said to be an indicator of the prevalence of cocaine use in the UK . Scientists found one in 20 notes gave very high readings for cocaine , showing they were likely to have been handled by dealers . A study by Mass Spec Analytical ( MSA ) , based in Bristol , tested 500 banknotes in circulation in London and found just four did not contain traces of cocaine . Banknotes are more likely to be contaminated with cocaine rather than heroin or ecstasy which degrade more rapidly . Traces of cocaine use in the UK is now believed to be so widespread it is found in the water supply , tests by the Drinking Water Inspectorate found last year . Employment judge Christa Christensen said : ‘ The respondent [ First Bus ] was aware that bank notes in general circulation are or could be contaminated by cocaine . 'This in turn means that it was incumbent on the respondent , as part of a reasonable investigatory process , to investigate the possibility that that reality may have some significance to the claimant ’ s positive cocaine drug test. ’ A First West of England spokesman said : ‘ We believe that we followed due process throughout. ’ The 55-year-old had been a First Bus driver for 22 years and previously had an unblemished record .
Alan Bailes was given a random saliva test for drugs after day driving bus . He was shocked when test was positive for cocaine and he was sacked . Mr Bailes paid for a hair follicle test because he wanted to prove innocence . This £440 test showed he had had no drugs in his system for 90 days . Saliva test is believed to have picked up cocaine he handled on banknotes . Research has found 88 per cent of bank notes contain traces of cocaine . Mr Bailes won his employment tribunal and a five-figure payout from First .