Cher unfair dismissal case opens

Cher won three Novello awards in 1999

US singer Cher has defended herself in court against a former employee who claims she unfairly dismissed him.

A lawyer for the star characterised her former employee as "emotionally ill" at the opening of the case at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday.

Cher is known for her elaborate costumes - on and off stage

Salvatore Sampino was hired to supervise a $17.1m (£11.75m) renovation of Cher's Malibu estate, but claims that poor employment practice made his position difficult.

"Due to illegal activities that were going on the job site and my refusal to take part in these activities, the position was intolerable," Mr Sampino has told Court TV.

'Hostility'

Sampino alleges that the singer broke tax and labour laws, used illegal immigrants to avoid tax and did not pay overtime.

His lawyer, William Bloch, said that when Sampino made his concerns known, he was met with "hostility" from his employers.

"He wasn't thanked.," Bloch told the court.

"He was threatened, he was told he was disloyal."

Cher was best known as an actress in the 1980s

The payroll supervisor claims that when Cher ignored his concerns it was "tantamount to being fired".

The star sat quietly in the courtroom as the allegations were made.

Her attorney said she had been in Europe promoting an album while Sampino was working on her home.

'Incompetent'

Cher's attorney Jerry Mandel, countered that Mr Sampino was not her employee, but that of the Inshalla Trust Project which was managing the restoration, and his resignation is nothing to do with the star.

He said Sampino was professionally incompetent, had a "mixed personality disorder" and quit because he feared he would soon be fired.

Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in California in 1946.

She left school at 16 to become an actress in Los Angeles but gave this up when she met producer and songwriter Sony Bono in 1963.

The pair hit gold with the song I Got You Babe and went on to be fixtures on the 1960s music scene.

The couple eventually split in 1974 and Cher launched a successful solo singing and acting career.

By the 1980s she was best known as an actress, starring in films like Moonstruck, The Witches of Eastwick and Mermaids.

Her singing career was given a boost in the late 1990s when her song Believe was a major international hit.

The case continues.