Tears of the spy girl who claims her boss pestered her for sex

By
Paul Harris

Last updated at 12:18 AM on 25th January 2012

A British secret agent repeatedly broke down in tears yesterday as she was challenged over claims that her spymaster pestered her for sex.

She insisted she did not make the allegations against married ‘Mr F’ to excuse her poor performance at work.

The woman, referred to as Miss D, rejected suggestions that his alleged sexual harassment did not affect her at the time. Sobbing as she gave evidence to a tribunal from behind a screen, she said: ‘Yes it did.’

Distressed: The victim alleged that she was pursued by a married man

Distressed: The victim alleged that she was pursued by a married man

Adam Tolley, representing Mr F and the secret government agency where they worked, also put it to her: ‘None of Mr F’s conduct towards you was in any way unwanted by you.’

She replied: ‘Why would I be here if that was the case?’

Denying using the accusations to explain her ‘below par’ professional performance, she added: ‘You have obviously misjudged my character completely.’

Later their superior, referred to as JM, told the tribunal that Miss D could not handle pressure, did not understand computers or the internet, clashed with colleagues, could not perform simple tasks effectively, and ‘came to me in tears on more than one occasion’.

But JM said he never saw anything inappropriate between Miss D and Mr F, ‘or anything that could constitute sexual harassment or bullying’.

He added: ‘They got on well and enjoyed a laugh and a joke in the office, sometimes of adult content and sometimes not.’

Miss D, who is claiming sexual harassment, says Mr F ‘persistently pursued me’ for sex and subjected her to months of text messages and ‘inappropriate’ suggestions.

She also alleges that she was on the receiving end of a tirade of mobile abuse

She also alleges that she was on the receiving end of a tirade of mobile abuse

Yesterday she said she ‘had a feeling he liked me’ when she first started to work for him.

She said that one day he invited her to ring him in the evening ‘because I’m on my own tonight’, giving a little whistle as he said it.

She  made a formal complaint in January last year, then went on sick leave with ‘severe stress’ before her GP said she was fit to return to work in April. She finally returned in August.

Bursting into tears, she said: ‘I was blacklisted, meaning I could never do sensitive posts again. There was not much of a career left for me.’

Asked by panel member David Carter why she had not reported harassment earlier, she began crying again and said: ‘I didn’t know much about harassment. I just knew it should not be done. I didn’t know how serious it was. I didn’t know it was gross misconduct.

‘He said he would “wipe the floor” with me. When he started turning on me it was harder, because he was still sexually harassing me.’ The hearing was adjourned until March.

Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.

Views: 0

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes