A NEWBRIDGE woman was awarded £48,000 compensation for what a tribunal judge described as a “disturbing” and “very severe campaign of sexual harassment” by her boss over two years.

Employment tribunal judge Mark Whitcombe accused former Niger consul to Britain and consultant psychiatrist doctor Chuma Igbokwe of an “appalling abuse of power” during his time as director of St Luke’s Hospital, Ebbw Vale, where he exposed himself, made sexual comments and thrust himself against administrator Vanessa Turley, 40.

Mr Whitcombe awarded the money to married mother-of-three Mrs Turley from Treowen who broke down in tears as she recounted how Doctor Igbokwe destroyed her family life, left her scared to leave her home and to contemplate suicide.

At an employment hearing at Cardiff’s Caradog House yesterday (Thursday), she said: “I was constantly depressed and considered taking my own life. But, I couldn’t do it tomyfamily and that would have meant he’d won.”

In January, Mrs Turley brought a claim for sexual harassment, victimisation and discrimination and unfair dismissal against Doctor Igbokwe and Mild Professional Homes, owner of St Luke’s Hospital.

This was ruled to be “well founded and upheld” by Mr Whitcombe and yesterday’s hearing was to decide compensation.

She began working at the hospital in March 2008 and said that in June 2008, Doctor Igbokwe called her into his office saying he wanted sex with her over his desk.

After she rebuffed him, she said he became rude and abrupt and on other occasions over the next two years, made “disgusting” comments, grabbed her by the hips and began thrusting behind her, exposed himself and gestured for her to perform a sex act.

She resigned in May 2010, after which she said Doctor Igbokwe emailed her husband calling her a prostitute and porn star.

Doctor Igbokwe was not at yesterday’s hearing, where Mrs Turley said she was “constantly scared” and would break down on weekends, knowing she’d have to “go through it all again”.

For unfair dismissal and loss of statutory rights, she was awarded £873.08p, £24,500 for injury to her feelings, £5,000 for aggravated damages, £17,524.86p for financial loss plus £751.37p interest, which makes £48,649.31p.