Grope? It was just an Italian greeting, says envoy
A BRITISH Council envoy accused of groping has won a tribunal after claiming he gave a woman a ‘normal Italian greeting’ as she left a party.
Paul Sellers faced accusations of drunkenly kissing the woman on the mouth and stroking her breasts.
He claimed he only gave her a kiss on each cheek and said his actions were simply the traditional Italian style.
His wife had been at his side at the time of the alleged incident and several wit–
Probe had been ‘seriously flawed’
nesses also saw nothing untoward. But he was sacked from his £80,000-a-year role as head of the British Council in Italy following an investigation.
The British Council is a government institution which establishes cultural relations with other countries.
An employment tribunal has now ruled the probe had been ‘seriously flawed’ and he was unfairly dismissed.
It found that evidence – including the accounts of six witnesses – was ignored. Instead investigators had chosen to believe the ‘hazy’ account of the woman despite admitting they were not ‘100 per cent sure what happened’.
Mr Sellers had been hosting a party at his flat in Rome on December 16, 2018, when the alleged incident occurred, the tribunal in central London heard.
He was then investigated after his accuser – a British Embassy staff member named only as ZZ – complained of sexual harassment. This led to him being dismissed from his role after 30 years’ service. Mr Sellers is due to receive compensation, yet to be set, at a later date.
Mr Sellers’s wife Isadora Papadrakakis, an art historian, said ZZ was ‘new and not really integrated into the embassy’.
A British Council spokesman said: ‘We are disappointed by the decision.’