Banker jailed over ‘made up’ string vest sexual harassment claims gets sentence cut

A banker jailed aft he "made up" claims astir being sexually harassed by a female head astatine activity has had his condemnation slashed by entreaty judges.

Damilare Ajao, who worked for German finance elephantine Commerzbank successful its customer life rhythm guidance squad successful London successful 2019, claimed he was pestered by a head who "flirtatiously" told him she could spot his nipples and tried to touch his Gucci loop buckle successful nan unit canteen.

Mr Ajao, who was sacked successful November 2019, subsequently brought an Employment Tribunal declare against nan bank, which included allegations of intersexual harassment and intersexual battle against nan head - who was identified successful tribunal only arsenic "Ms Q."

The allegations centred connected claims that she had made a sexualised remark astir a drawstring vest that he was wearing being visible done his garment and that he had been forced to slap her manus distant erstwhile she reached retired towards his designer belt.

His declare was thrown retired however, pinch nan tribunal judge Anthony Snelson uncovering that nan intersexual harassment and battle allegations "were mendacious and successful ample portion made up".

The lawsuit subsequently went to nan High Court successful November, erstwhile Mr Ajao, of Medway, Kent, was jailed for 20 months by Mr Justice Martin Spencer for contempt of tribunal successful staging a "deliberate and wicked assault" connected nan manager's master standing

Yesterday Court of Appeal judges Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice Miles trim his condemnation to 8 months, little 3 days already served, aft proceeding he has mislaid his matrimony arsenic good arsenic his occupation and now survives connected cosmopolitan credit.

The judges refused to suspend his condemnation to fto him spell free however, slamming Mr Ajao for showing "no remorse" aliases immoderate motion of "understanding what he did was wrong."

"We do respect these arsenic very superior contempts," said Lord Justice Lewis. "He made mendacious allegations deliberately and complete a play of clip and he fabricated grounds successful bid to get damages.

"These actions onslaught astatine nan bosom of nan management of justice. We are judge that due reward tin only beryllium achieved by contiguous custody."

During nan contempt proceedings past year, nan High Court heard that Mr Ajao worked for nan slope astatine its offices successful Gresham Street, successful nan City of London, betwixt May and November 2019 erstwhile he was sacked, and subsequently brought his unsuccessful tribunal claim.

Among his complaints were that Ms Q had a intersexual motive successful her dealings pinch him and he claimed she became "annoyed" astatine his rejection of intersexual advances.

He claimed nan head had told him "I fancy you" and had connected respective occasions complete a play of months commented that she could spot his tegument and nipples done his shirt.

He past launched a compensation declare to an Employment Tribunal, which nan slope branded a "wholly bogus declare of intersexual battle and harassment," against Ms Q.

Employment Judge Snelson successful April 2024 dismissed his declare and said that, though mention had been made of Mr Ajao's vest, nan allegations successful Mr Ajao's declare were "simply false."

The lawsuit reached nan High Court past year, erstwhile Commerzbank launched a bid to person Mr Ajao jailed for contempt of tribunal relating to his rejected allegations.

However, he denied contempt, claiming that it was his "perception" that he had been nan unfortunate of intersexual harassment and assault, and that he was not deliberately untruthful.

Finding 12 counts of contempt against Mr Ajao and jailing him for 20 months and ordering him to salary £150,000 towards nan bank's ineligible bills, Mr Justice Spencer said Ms Q had been "entirely honorable and credible" successful her grounds to nan court.

She had ne'er said she could spot Mr Ajao's nipples, but only said to him successful nan discourse of a friends narration betwixt group who sometimes talked astir fashion.

Mr Ajao's grounds was nevertheless false, he said, adding: "There were specified discrepancies, inconsistencies and impossibilities successful his grounds that it was rather incapable of acceptance.

"The much I heard of his grounds nan much I became judge his grounds was untrue and deliberately so."

Mr Ajao had said nan comments and nan alleged attempted intersexual battle were nan culmination of a shape of behaviour complete nan summertime and autumn of 2019, but nan judge said it was successful truth a "deliberate and wicked assault" connected her master standing.

"In my judgment, location wasn't a shred of truth successful immoderate of nan allegations nan suspect has made against Ms Q. I'm judge that nan allegations made were untrue and deliberately so, and a deliberate effort to deceive nan tribunal, compounded by lies told to this court."

The tribunal heard Mr Ajao had mislaid a successful profession successful finance and now relies connected Universal Credit, while his matrimony had besides grounded and he now lives alone.

Following his sentencing past year, Mr Ajao served 3 days successful situation earlier being bailed pending his return to tribunal for yesterday's entreaty against nan contempt findings and nan sentence.

Giving judgment, Lord Justice Lewis said Mr Justice Spencer had applied nan incorrect sentencing guidelines erstwhile deciding connected nan magnitude of Mr Ajao's sentence.

Re-sentencing him, he said Mr Ajao could count connected immoderate mitigation, including nan truth he has 2 young children, though they unrecorded pinch their mother.

"We are satisfied that a condemnation earlier simplification for mitigation successful nan region of 12 months' imprisonment would beryllium due for nan contempts committed," he said.

"We respect a punishment of 8 months' imprisonment, having respect to nan seriousness of nan offences and nan mitigating factors, is nan shortest that tin beryllium imposed."

The judges besides allowed Mr Ajao's entreaty against 1 of nan 12 findings of contempt, but said it had been a "small, fundamentally trivial" portion of nan allegations and did not effect connected nan magnitude of his sentence.

Mr Ajao was taken instantly to statesman serving his condemnation successful Pentonville Prison.