PA who led on her besotted boss loses sacking case
WHEN a personal assistant was sacked after her wealthy boss realised she would never share his bed, a tribunal victory seemed assured.
The ‘ penny finally began to drop’ for besotted Peter Metcalfe when Emma Hennell-Whittington arrived at his haulage firm’s charity ball with her boyfriend – an Ultimate Strongman competitor nicknamed ‘the Beast of the North-East’.
She was fired from her job, which paid £30,000 a year for ten hours work a week, plus a shower of gifts. ‘Humiliated’ Mr Metcalfe was frank about why, the tribunal heard.
Yet the sexual harassment and discrimination claim of Ms Hennell-Whittington has been rejected, after a ruling she knew his intentions and was happy being paid while remaining ‘a lady of leisure’.
Judge Kirti Jeram said: ‘ Mr Metcalfe’s hopes and beliefs for a shared future were developed and perpetuated by her.’ The 54-yearold fell for Ms Hennell-Whittington, then in her late 30s, when he dealt with the Stockton fertiliser firm she worked for in early 2021.
Flirtatious banter developed, it was said. A Newcastle tribunal was told she suggested he employ her as his PA – he replied he could see her as a ‘lady of leisure’.
In May 2021 he told her: ‘I’m no player, just a guy who’s met someone I really like. I’d like to make you really happy.’ Ms Hennell-Whittington reminded him she was in a relationship, but okayed meetings ‘to see where things might lead’.
The newly published judgment notes: ‘She did not, at any stage until the breakdown of the employment relationship, inform him she was not interested romantically.’
Mr Metcalfe made declarations of love, and the judgment notes: ‘She did not reciprocate... she did not ask him to stop, either.’
It adds that he believed there was a ‘possibility of exploring a romantic relationship in the notsodistant future’, and that ‘she knew those were his hopes and took no steps to scotch them’.
In August 2021, Mr Metcalfe hired her as his PA. ‘She refused or avoided tasks as she pleased,’ the
‘Didn't say she wasn't interested'
hearing was told. When she asked for VW Tiguan and Honda Civic cars, he bought them, and offered £45,000 to buy out her then-fiance’s share of her house.
Thousands more went on private dentistry, Botox, clothes, and make-up for her daughter’s prom. Things only fell apart at the July 2022 charity ball of Mr Metcalfe’s haulage firm, W Metcalfe and Sons. Having asked if she could bring ‘her friend from her gym’, Ms Hennell-Whittington arrived with construction boss, ‘Big’ Alan Grieves, 32.
She had told Mr Metcalfe she was about to leave her estranged partner, but new love Mr Grieves had gone unmentioned.
Mr Metcalfe promptly sacked her, with two months’ pay-off.
Judge Jeram said: ‘We reject her case that his affections grew in a vacuum, without any reciprocation, encouragement or input from her.’ Mr Metcalfe declined to comment.