Personal assistant who was sacked by her boss after ‘humiliating’ him by turning up to a charity ball with her strongman boyfriend LOSES sexual harassment claim after court rulings she led him on with ‘hopes and beliefs of a shared future’

When a personal assistant was fired after her wealthy boss realized she would never share his bed, a court victory seemed assured.

‘It finally started to fall’ for distraught Peter Metcalfe when Emma Hennell-Whittington arrived at her trucking company’s charity ball with her boyfriend – an Ultimate Strongman competitor nicknamed ‘The Beast of the North-East’.

She was fired from her job, which paid £30,000 a year for ten hours a week, plus a shower of gifts. ‘Humbled’ Mr. Metcalfe was honest about why, the court heard.

However, the claim of sexual harassment and discrimination by Ms Hennell-Whittington has been dismissed, after a verdict said she knew his intentions and was happy to be paid while remaining ‘a lady of leisure’.

Judge Kirti Jeram said: ‘Mr. Metcalfe’s hopes and convictions for a common future were developed and perpetuated by her.’

The 54-year-old fell for Mrs Hennell-Whittington, then in her late 30s, when he was trading with the Stockton fertilizer company she worked for in early 2021.

Flirty banter developed, it was said. A Newcastle court was told she suggested he employ her as his PA – he replied he could see her as a “lady of leisure”.

In May 2021, he told her: ‘I’m not a player, just a guy who met someone I really like. I want to make you really happy.’ Hennell-Whittington reminded him that she was in a relationship but accepted meetings “to see where things could go”.

The recently published judgment notes: ‘At no time prior to the breakdown of the employment relationship did she inform him that she was not romantically interested.’

Sir. Metcalfe made declarations of love and the verdict says: ‘She did not reciprocate… nor did she ask him to stop.’

It adds that he believed there was a ‘possibility of exploring a romantic relationship in the not-so-distant future’ and that ‘she knew those were his hopes and made no move to thwart them’.

In August 2021, Mr Metcalfe hired her as his PA. ‘She refused or avoided tasks that she wanted,’ the hearing heard. When she asked for VW Tiguan and Honda Civic cars, he bought them and offered £45,000 to buy his then fiancee’s share of her house.

Hennell-Whittington brought her ‘friend from the gym’ construction manager Alan Grieves to a charity ball in July 2022 at Mr Metcalfe’s company, which led to her immediate sacking

Several thousand spent on private dentistry, Botox, clothes and make-up for her daughter’s prom. Things only fell apart at the July 2022 charity ball for Mr Metcalfe’s haulage firm, W Metcalfe and Sons. After asking if she could bring ‘her friend from her gym’, Mrs Hennell-Whittington arrived with construction manager ‘Big’ Alan Grieves, 32.

She had told Mr Metcalfe she was leaving her estranged partner, but the new love, Mr Grieves, had gone unmentioned.

Sir. Metcalfe fired her immediately with two months’ pay.

Judge Jeram said: ‘We reject her case that his feelings grew in a vacuum, without any retribution, encouragement or input from her.’ Metcalfe declined to comment.