Woman sues boss for

Posted 13/01/2011

A woman is taking legal action against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) amid claims she suffered sexual harassment at the hands of her manager.

Anjulika Vatish, 50, worked for senior prosecution official James O’Connell and alleges that he obtained her address from private medical records and began to stalk her.

Although she complained, the barrister said her treatment got worse and Mr O’Connell frequently smacked her on the bottom with his briefcase and stroked her legs.

The employee also stated that he failed to give suitable cases to her, saying instead she should “get the Hoover out, cook and clean windows”.

“I don’t know why he treated me in such a way, but I put it down to that I am Asian and a woman,” Ms Vatish commented.

She is now suing the CPS for £40,000 in compensation for racial discrimination, sex discrimination and sexual harassment.

This comes after a woman who suffered sex discrimination at the hands of a district judge received more than £11,000 in compensation last year, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

Joe Rice was ordered by an employment law tribunal to remunerate Yvonne McEvoy after it was found that he paid her only the minimum statutory sick pay when she fell ill, despite providing her male colleagues with more.