Sales manager ‘put woman across his knee and spanked her’ in office

Angelina Ashby, 41, told the tribunal that Pete Smith did not make sexual advances to her, but she was embarrassed and uncomfortable with his behaviour towards staff in the office.

Mr Smith and some of his colleagues are accused of bullying and harassing Miss Ashby, who worked for a marine supplies firm.

She said she witnessed the behaviour when she worked at Cathelco Limited.

In a witness statement presented to the tribunal, Miss Ashby claimed on one occasion Mr Smith looked at sex toys and blow up dolls on the internet.

In her statement, she said: “A few days after my formal grievance was submitted, a sales administrator was physically chased round the office by Pete Smith, who then proceeded to put her over his knee and spank her.

“On one occasion he took his time to view sex toys, such as blow up dolls, on the internet.

“He was more than aware I could see his screen as I sat directly behind him and moreover seemed to take his time in viewing the website in question.”

She also claimed there were “regular incidents” when staff, with whom Mr Smith was on friendly terms, would be “successfully encouraged to grab his genitals”.

Miss Ashby is claiming constructive dismissal, sexual discrimination and pay discrimination against the firm.

The Cathelco group of companies specialises in antifouling technology and systems for preventing metal corrosion in the marine industry.

Miss Ashby, from Chesterfield, claims she was subjected to a “continuous course of mistreatment” which drove her to take anti-depressants.

She started working for Cathelco in its Corrintec Marine Division in June 2003 as a sales coordinator.

She said problems began in September 2006 when Mr Smith became her line manager.

Her statement added: “My experiences at Cathelco caused me a great deal of distress.

“I was subjected to some very hurtful comments by members of the sales team and I felt completely let down by the way that Cathelco’s management dealt with my grievance.”

The firm denies the allegations.

The tribunal, which is expected to last eight days, continues.

In his witness statement, Mr Smith said he was “horrified” by the accusations made against him.

He said: “I have always considered that I ‘run a happy ship’ in the sales team and I do my best to work cooperatively with everyone in the team, although it is, of course, necessary to manage the team to deliver the right results.”

He said the working relationship with Miss Ashby was “sometimes strained”, adding: “Largely because she liked to work very independently and was very bad at sharing information or copying other people in with emails which concerned them. This was a very unusual character trait which I had to work around.”

He said she had the “same opportunities as everybody else and was well treated and trained.”