Millionaire fired solicitor after sex snub, tribunal told

A JUNIOR solicitor being “constantly groped” by her millionaire boss claimed he fired her two hours after she refused his sexual advances, an employment tribunal heard

The 49-year-old married senior partner was accused of only hiring young attractive women and told his victim he was “allowed to have two wives” the hearing was told.

In one incident he bragged to her after he had bribed a traffic warden not to put a ticket on his illegally parked Ferrari, saying it was “nice to know bribery still works” the tribunal heard.

The woman said she was groped by her boss, referred to in court as “D”, when he took her out to expensive meals at exclusive Mayfair restaurants, to bars and famous clubs including Annabel’s and the Playboy Club and a Rita Ora concert.

They had work trips to Amsterdam, in which he took her to a live sex show, and a seven-star hotel in Dubai where he secretly filmed her on a sunbed and massaged her, she claimed.

The tribunal also heard his lips were gold in one picture due to drinking gold leaf cocktails and he showed her a naked photo of another work colleague.

The solicitor tearfully denied accusations she had flirted with her boss to further her career and that she made up her “inconsistent” claims against him in an act of revenge after he fired her for falsifying work time-sheets and overcharging clients.

The newly qualified 27-year-old, who is engaged to marry her childhood sweetheart, is claiming sex discrimination, breach of contract and holiday pay at the central London employment tribunal. She was on a salary of £42,000 and was promised £60,000 at her next pay review if she worked hard.

Employment Judge Tina Elliott said comparisons with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein were “valid”and that a gagging order banning the identification of the parties would be reviewed at the end of the case.

The complainant told the hearing: “I brought this claim because what he did was wrong and I don’t want him to do this to other girls.” She said that when she brought her claim, D threatened her with a £150,000 bill for his legal costs and made a complaint to police about her boyfriend.

Ms Romney QC suggested Miss A was lying about her claims and that she admitted she went out with him until 5am in the morning despite being repeatedly “creeped” out by him touching her.

The tribunal heard her probation period was extended but she was fired days after having meetings with D and his personal assistant and HR manager over timesheets after returning from Dubai.