Philip Green ‘slapped the bottoms of female staff’

Peer tells of Topshop boss claims

TOPSHOP boss Philip Green grabbed women’s breasts, slapped their bottoms and touched their thighs, a peer has claimed.

Labour’s Peter Hain told the House of Lords one alleged victim had revealed hundreds of staff complaints to him.

The embattled Topshop and Dorothy Perkins tycoon, accused of using non-disclosure agreements to silence claims, has previously “categorically” denied sexual and racial harassment.

Lord Hain said Sir Philip’s alleged victim told him: “He was touching and repeatedly slapping women staff’s bottoms, grabbing thighs and touching legs.

“Hundreds of grievance cases were raised with HR.

“The company lawyer who interviewed me then lied.

“Sir Philip screamed and shouted at staff ‘to go to psychologists’.

“Victims went to an employment tribunal but were UNDER FIRE Sir Philip Green

told it would not get anywhere so settled with an

NDA [non-disclosure agreement].

“Some were worn down with spiralling legal costs. He broke some in the end. It was horrible. He is still doing the same thing.

“It is rife, it happened all the time. This has gone on for a long time.” Last year Lord Hain used privilege, which gives legal protection for things said in Parliament, to identify Sir Philip as the person behind an injunction preventing publication of claims of sexual harassment and racial abuse.

Yesterday Sir Philip, who earlier this week announced the closure of 23 stores in his Arcadia chain, attacked Lord Hain’s use of privilege. He called it “sad” that “somebody who already has proven they’re prepared to abuse the system” wanted to continue to do so.

Last night Arcadia said the “hundreds of cases” claim was unfounded, adding Sir Philip had not been in the London offices for nearly a year.

It added that the firm took grievances seriously, thoroughly investigating each one. LORD HAIN QUOTES ALLEGED VICTIM

It was horrible... he is still doing the same thing