Sex scandal police rocked by claims of second affair among top officers
A SCANDAL- HIT police force was rocked by rumours of a second affair among high- ranking officers with claims of intimate touching, an industrial tribunal heard.
Assistant Chief Constable Greg Vant is alleged to have had a relationship with Juliet Bains, secretary to the then Northumbria Police Chief Constable Mike Craik, who was himself accused of having an affair with a colleague.
The allegations were made by Northumbria Police’s former head of legal services Denise Aubrey, who claims she was asked to help cover up both the affairs and was then sacked for gross misconduct after being accused of gossiping.
Ms Aubrey denies this and accuses former bosses of unfair dismissal, sex discrimination, disability discrimination, victimisation and harassment.
The tribunal has already heard claims that Chief Superintendent Jim Peacock punched Mr Craik at a barbecue after discovering he was having an affair with his wife, Carolyn, who was an Assistant Chief Constable.
Ms Aubrey claimed the second scandal erupted when colleagues of Mrs Bains said she had been seen touching Mr Vant intimately in her office.
It was claimed rumours of their relationship were initially treated as a possible case of sexual harassment after the Chief Constable became concerned that Mr Vant’s behaviour could affect morale.
In Ms Aubrey’s statement placed before the tribunal hearing in North Shields, North Tyneside, Mrs Bains is referred to as Staff Member A ( SMA). The lawyer claimed to have seen a number of emails and texts between the couple which included references to “hula hoops” and “nipples with tassels”, but which now appeared to have been removed from the file.
She said: “My professional opinion was that the evidence on harassment was thin. SMA was not a shrinking violet and one of the other secretaries complained that SMA was seen to be stroking his groin over his clothing in SMA’s office, which she had felt inappropriate and distasteful.”
Ms Aubrey said the matter was dealt with by “informal resolution” but she was left “very uncomfortable” with the mediation process.
She added: “I worried that what we had done smacked of covering up allegations.”
The statement continued: “Subsequently rumours about Vant and SMA started up again. They had been seen together at an airport.
“It was also said someone had seen them on a beach.”
She said senior officers were heard talking about the situation and she told the hearing: “There was intense speculation about Craik’s reasons for being so upset about Vant and SMA.”
Ms Aubrey also said she had been asked by Mr Craik to advise him on libel and trying to keep accusations of his own affair out of the media.
The tribunal continues.