Mike Hill: Former Hartlepool MP sexually assaulted and victimised worker

A former Labour MP sexually assaulted, harassed and victimised a parliamentary worker, a tribunal has found.

Ex-Hartlepool MP Mike Hill rubbed himself against the woman, known as Ms A, and attempted to touch her breasts, it accepted.

The central London employment tribunal upheld claims of "detrimental treatment" over a 16-month period.

Its judgement said "spiteful or retaliatory" acts followed the woman's rejection of Mr Hill's sexual advances.

Judge Joffe found Mr Hill had, on two occasions, got into bed with Ms A, rubbed his groin against her and attempted to touch her breasts.

He had also sexually assaulted Ms A by rubbing his penis against her bottom.

The tribunal heard Mr Hill told the claimant he loved her and begged her to work for him.

But it found examples of his detrimental treatment of her after she had rejected his unwanted advances.

These included extending her period of probation, failing to give her a promised pay rise and deactivating her security pass.

Mr Hill "held over the claimant's head that she was very close to dismissal", the tribunal's reserved judgement said.

He also influenced a staffing review which threatened her with redundancy.

Mr Hill continued to press for a sexual relationship after Ms A made clear his attentions were not welcome and she threatened to take legal advice about them, the tribunal found.

It largely accepted Ms A's version of events over Mr Hill's, but did not uphold her complaints concerning disability discrimination and whistleblowing.

A remedy hearing to determine any compensation will be held in November.

In March the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) found Mr Hill breached Parliament's sexual misconduct policy.

It upheld two complaints relating to sexual misconduct but found a third allegation, of workplace victimisation and discrimination, unproven.

Chairman Sir Stephen Irwin said, if Mr Hill had remained a member of Parliament, "a significant sanction would have been under consideration".

Mr Hill was notified of the panel's findings on 5 March and resigned on 16 March.

The subsequent by-election, held in May, was won by the Conservatives.

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