New York mayor ‘demanded sexual favours’

NEW York’s mayor has been accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague when they were working together at the municipal transit police bureau more than three decades ago.

Eric Adams, then a transit officer, agreed to help her obtain a promotion and offered to drive her home to discuss the matter, but instead he took her to a vacant lot where he demanded sexual favours in return for his assistance, Lorna Beach-mathura alleges.

She claims she refused his advances and pulled her hand away when Mr Adams forcibly placed it on his exposed genitals before he masturbated.

She sought his help because at the time he was both a police officer and leader in the NYPD Guardians Association, a group advocating equality for black employees, according to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan.

Mr Adams, 63, has strenuously denied the allegations.

According to Ms Beach-mathura, Mr Adams also was behind her subsequent transfer to another department where she lost seniority and was forced from her job “in retaliation for refusing his quid pro quo sexual demands”.

The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, allowing accusers to sue over alleged historic sexual abuse even if the statute of limitations has expired.

Ms Beach-mathura filed a preliminary court summons against Mr Adams in November. At the time, a spokesman for the mayor denied the claim and said Mr Adams did not know the accuser or recall meeting her.

On Monday, Sylvia Hinds-radix, counsel for the City of New York, said Mr Adams still “fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described”.