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 
88 per cent first saliva bailes 90 days 440 alan bailes
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 