Rob Styles

THE referee who sparked a storm by awarding Chelsea a dodgy penalty on Sunday also paved Blues owner Roman Abramovich’s DRIVE.

Rob Styles, whose decision let Chelsea sneak a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, is on the board of builders Oakwood Groundworks Ltd.

The company was paid a five-figure sum for work at billionaire Abramovich’s 440-acre country estate last summer.

Styles, 43, has been dropped as a ref for this weekend’s Premier League matches following his apparent howler that drew furious protests from Liverpool.

He ruled that Liverpool’s Steve Finnan upended Chelsea’s Florent Malouda, although TV replays suggested Malouda dived. Frank Lampard then levelled the scores from the penalty spot.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez said of Styles: “Only he can explain — but he will not be able to explain properly.”

Trained surveyor Styles’s interests outside soccer have made him a millionaire. His firm was sub-contracted to rebuild Abramovich’s drive by a company drafted in by estate managers.

He declined to comment. But his conduct was fully backed by his refereeing body last night.

A Professional Game Match Officials spokesman said: “Rob made the PGMO aware his company was undertaking work for E A Chiverton, a company sub-contracted to work on one of Mr Abramovich’s properties.

“The PGMO investigated this at the time and was entirely satisfied that no conflict of interest existed. We do not think this is an issue. We have discussed this with Rob Styles and are entirely happy. It would be entirely wrong to impune his integrity as a referee.”

Oakwood Groundworks, based in Waterlooville, Hants, re-paved the drive at Abramovich’s £12million estate Fyning Hill, near Rogate, West Sussex.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho had a public bust-up with Styles last year over decisions in which Chelsea were denied penalties.

But the row is understood to have been patched up when the ref called Mourinho to apologise.