City woman 'likened to prostitute'
A top investment consultant is suing her firm for harassment and unfair dismissal in the latest of a string of sex discrimination battles to hit the City.
Anyolina Hobson, 40, is claiming that fellow director David Robinson subjected her to humiliation and harassment after she rejected his sexual advances.
Ms Hobson claims he compared her to an African prostitute while joking that she was "in charge of shopping".
He then bought her jewellery. When Ms Hobson complained, she was ignored.
The ?75,000-a-year consultant was then later told that she would have to resign or be fired because she was not bringing enough money into the German investment company Deca, which acquires shopping centres.
Ms Hobson, a Yale graduate, told a central London employment tribunal that Mr Robinson was paid ?125,000 a year and had higher bonuses, commission and profit share.
The tribunal heard Mr Robinson, when challenged over the "shopping" reference, said: "I'm sorry. I must have mistaken you for my wife."
On a business trip to Rome, when passing a group of African prostitutes, Mr Robinson told Ms Hobson they were jealous of her because she was surrounded by men, the tribunal heard.
The case continues.
