A 69-year-old Spanish civil servant has been fined €27,000 (R20.7 lakh) after not going to work for “at least” six years. Joaquin Garcia’s absence was only noticed when he became eligible to collect a long-service award.

Garcia was paid €37,000 a year before tax by a water company run by local authorities in the south-western city of Cadiz. His fine was equivalent to one year’s salary after tax and was the most that the company could legally reclaim. The court heard that the boss of the water company had not seen him for years despite occupying an office opposite his.