Ex-Hartlepool MP Mike Hill was 'friend' to harassment accuser

A woman who claims an ex-Labour MP sexually harassed her had described him as a friend, his office manager said.

The claimant's behaviour towards former Hartlepool MP Mike Hill "did not seem to marry up" with her allegations, Janet Greig told a tribunal.

She said the woman, who is being identified as Ms A, had told her she trusted her former employer Mr Hill.

Ms A also claims he bullied her and Mr Hill, who stood down as an MP in March, denies the accusations.

Giving evidence at the Central London Employment Tribunal, Mrs Greig said the claimant had always been "very complimentary" about Mr Hill.

"I could not connect the two - that she was saying in one breath that he was wonderful, a really good friend and that she trusted him.

"And then in the next breath saying he had been sexually harassing her. The two did not seem to marry up."

Asked by Ms A's barrister if she accepted that "victims of sex abuse" do not behave in a "uniform way", Mrs Greig said: "I've had no training, so I can't comment either way on that."

Ms A claims Mr Hill groped her and rubbed himself against her.

The tribunal previously heard he sent text messages to the claimant in which he said he "craved" her body and was "in love" with her.

Mrs Greig said she spoke to Mr Hill after becoming aware of the texts and some recorded messages.

"I told him they were inappropriate. We discussed [them] at that point, not in-depth, but I did say 'what were you thinking of?'

"I said if you were having a mid-life crisis, why didn't he just go out and buy a sports car or get a tattoo, as most people do?"

"What I can say from these tape recordings and these texts is that he had feelings for this person, he acted inappropriately in having this friendship with her, which his wife was not aware of."

Mrs Greig said that, while Mr Hill had been "less than honest" with her, she did not see him as a "predator".

Mr Hill resigned from his seat in March, triggering a by-election that saw the Conservatives take control of Hartlepool.

A decision in the tribunal is expected at the end of June.

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