An owner of the Great Western hotel in Wales took advantage of a vulnerable woman for three years and also sexually harassed her - so she took the case to an employment tribunal. For three years Julie Miles worked hour weeks cleaning and cooking in the Great Western hotel in Abergavenny in Wales.
But for a year this consisted of making her sleep in a chair in a laundry room in the basement of the hotel. The relationship between the housekeeper and her employers was "master and servant", with Miles having to cater to Hesp's every "beck and call" 24 hours a day, the tribunal found.
He was even said to have told her: "You worked last year without a day off - you can do it again. The year-old married manager also sexually harassed Miles by sliding his arm around her waist on three occasions.
On each occasion, Miles stepped away to indicate she was not consenting to his inappropriate touching. Miles felt unable to complain out of fear of being fired. Every day she had to strip beds, wash, dry and iron the bed linen, make the beds with fresh sheets, clean rooms, hoover and mop and clean the toilets in the bar. The hearing was told Hesp knew Miles was in a vulnerable position because of her financial difficulties and he "exploited" her circumstances.
He had a full time job as a bathroom salesman in Devon and Cornwall and used her to keep the hotel running in his absence, the tribunal heard.
