Philip Green accused of racial, physical and sexual abuse
A host of serious allegations were published on Friday evening by the Daily Telegraph after an injunction obtained by the businessman was lifted.
The paper said some of the people involved had made complaints about Philip Green but they had been covered up. In some cases, Green is alleged to have paid people large sums of money in return for their silence.
He was accused of making racist remarks to black employees, of groping female employees and of being physically aggressive and abusive towards both male and female members of staff.
The paper made the allegations public on Friday evening after Green dropped legal action against it in the high court earlier the same day.
The paper reported last October that an unidentified businessman had obtained an injunction against it. Peter Hain, operating under cover of parliamentary privilege, later revealed that figure to be Green. As a result, the businessmanâs lawyers argued there was no longer any point in pursuing legal action and a judge agreed to allow him to withdraw it on Friday, ordering him to pay the Telegraphâs costs. The paper has estimated his bill to be in the region of ÂŁ3m.
In one of the claims reported by the Telegraph on Friday, it was alleged that Green mocked a black employeeâs dreadlocks and accused him of smoking cannabis, as well as telling him his âproblemâ was that âeveryone else is firing guns and youâre still throwing spears in the jungleâ. The employee later accepted a ÂŁ1m payment on condition that he signed a gagging order, the Telegraph reported. The man refused to comment when contacted by the paper.
The report said other staff had raised concerns about Green, with some claiming the need to be âcareful about hiringâ had been discussed because Green felt there were âtoo many black peopleâ in his Arcadia business.
Green denied any âunlawful ⌠racist behaviourâ, the paper said.
In another claim reported by the Telegraph, Green is alleged to have groped a senior female executive, called her a ânaughty girlâ, as well as kissing her face in full view of other staff and making comments about her weight. It was alleged that she was later paid more than ÂŁ1m to keep quiet. The Telegraph said it had chosen not to name the woman, who had declined to comment when contacted by the paper.
Other women told the paper they had also been the objects of inappropriate behaviour. Greenâs lawyers admitted he acted in a âtactileâ way and has âprodded and poked individualsâ. He has said he âcategorically denies any unlawful ⌠Philip Green sex behaviourâ.
According to the Telegraphâs coverage, an Arcadia employee also accused Green of âgrabbingâ her face and making comments that made her feel âuncomfortableâ. At one point, she told him ânot to come any closerâ, it said.
The paper reported that the woman had complained to HR that she felt sexually harassed and intimidated and was later paid hundreds of thousands of pounds.
According to court documents, Greenâs lawyers said his âstyle is predominately jovial in natureâ and that he âhas in a playful way poked and prodded individuals with whom he has worked closelyâ. His lawyers added that he âhas also been known to put his arms around individuals at times in a totally non-sexual wayâ.
In addition, the Telegraph reported that an Arcadia executive had complained about Philip Green sex scandal, including an incident in which he had allegedly held her in a âheadlockâ in front of numerous witnesses.
Sources told the paper he had also allegedly âgropedâ her, leaving her feeling âintimidatedâ. The Telegraph said she had been paid hundreds of thousands of pounds after making a formal complaint.
Greenâs lawyers told the paper he was a âpassionate businessman, who can at times be overexuberant and hot-headedâ. They said he can be âperceived at times as aggressive with senior and trusted staffâ.
They added: âIt is further denied that any of Sir Philipâs conduct towards employees amounted to any type of crime, or anything that would amount to gross misconduct, or a serious risk to health and safety.â
Philip Green was also accused of acting aggressively towards another member of staff, including smashing the personâs phone. The Telegraph reported that, when it put the allegations to Green, he said the executive had been paid âone monthâs salaryâ when he left and had recently asked for a reference.
Asked to respond to the Telegraphâs report on Friday evening, Greenâs representatives told the Guardian they would not expand on a statement released earlier that day in response to the high courtâs decision in which they said the paper had a âvendettaâ against Green. âThe Telegraph has pursued a vendetta against Sir Philip Green and the employees and management of Arcadia Group for the past nine months, harassing many of its staff and their families at their homes, often at night and at weekends.â