A MANAGING director who rejected her new boss's indecent proposal' has been awarded £151,000 compensation by an employment tribunal.

Trish MacKinnon, 48, of Bickley, was offered £1,000 for each weekend she spent with 60-year-old Jack Parkinson after his company HR Go bought her recruitment agency Bromley Appointments in May 2002.

The tribunal heard how Mr Parkinson offered the mum-of-one £26,000-a-year to spend every other weekend with him, pestered her with calls and made suggestive comments.

Not long after buying the company he told the divorcee he wanted to "lick her all over", the tribunal was told, before ruling in Mrs MacKinnon's favour for unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination.

When she turned down her boss's advances and reported his antics, her £64,000-a-year wages were cut, she was threatened with the sack and then suspended for gross misconduct, the employment tribunal heard.

After finally leaving the company in November 2003, Mrs MacKinnon was treated for depression, anxiety and stress.

The tribunal this week criticised HR Go's failure to investigate her complaints properly and ruled her former colleagues gave unreliable evidence against her to advance their own careers or out of fear for their jobs.

It labelled the company's conduct "high-handed, insulting and oppressive" and said the original sexual harassment was compounded by the "offensive and untrue allegations" later made against the victim.

After the ruling, Mrs MacKinnon said: "Jack Parkinson's conduct in offering me job security in exchange for sexual favours was insulting in the extreme.

"The past three years have proved immensely difficult due to the conduct of my opponents and as a direct result of my repeated refusal to engage in a sexual relationship with my former boss.

"The tribunal has recognised the level of distress caused to me by my opponents' conduct throughout this case."

She described HR Go's failure to apologise publicly as "indicative" of the company's behaviour throughout the case and added: "Despite provocation throughout this dreadful time, I have held very tightly to two things above all else: the truth and my dignity.

"I would like to express my heartfelt and loving thanks to my daughter and mother, family and friends who have stood very tall for me during the toughest days."

Mrs MacKinnon, who had sought around £500,000, will receive £121,000 for loss of earnings, £17,000 for injury to feelings, £9,000 for personal injury and £4,000 for aggravated damages.

HR Go and Mr Parkinson, of Grafty Green, near Maidstone, must each hand over £67,500, with Bromley Appointments paying the remainder.

Mrs MacKinnon, who a year ago set up a new agency, Compass Personnel in East Street, Bromley, will also receive £20,000 towards her costs from her opponents.

HR Go, based in Ashford, said it was "extremely disappointed" by the outcome.