Monday, March 29, 2010

'Heather Mills flaunted new lover in front of McCartney' says former nanny suing her for unfair dismissal

By David Wilkes

Heather Mills (L) leaves an employment tribunal yesterday in Kent where her former nanny Sara Trumble (R) is seeking compensation over allegations of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal


Heather Mills tried to humiliate Sir Paul McCartney by flaunting her new boyfriend in front of him after their divorce, an employment tribunal heard yesterday.

Her former nanny Sara Trumble told how 41-year- old Miss Mills engineered for Jamie Walker to meet the ex-Beatle, her husband of four years.


Referring to times when Sir Paul would bring the couple's daughter to Miss Mills's house after the child had been staying with him, she said: 'When Paul would bring Beatrice round to the house Heather made Jamie go out and meet Paul, as if to make a show of him.'

The claim was among a catalogue of examples Miss Trumble, 26, gave of what she called Miss Mills's 'unpleasant, distasteful side'.

She said the ex-model left a rude message on her mobile which reduced her to tears and forced staff to say nice things about her to a film crew.

Miss Mills also humiliated Miss Trumble in front of colleagues by announcing her job had changed to cleaner, she claimed.

And she said Miss Mills made her feel 'awkward and uncomfortable' by asking if Mr Walker had ever flirted with her.

She is seeking compensation from Miss Mills on the grounds of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal.

She also claims she suffered changes to her employment terms following maternity leave.


Hand in hand: Heather and and Jamie Walker pictured last August in New York


Miss Trumble accused Miss Mills of lacking 'decency and respect' and added: 'I do believe that Heather is more than capable of lying or getting others to lie on her behalf.'

Miss Trumble said Miss Mills met Mr Walker, who she described as a waiter, at a hotel in Tenerife. The couple are still regularly pictured together.

Yesterday Miss Mills - awarded £24.3million plus payments of £35,000 a year for nanny and school costs after her divorce in 2006 - muttered to friends 'he's not a waiter' as the evidence was heard.

Miss Trumble, a former beauty therapist, told the tribunal that she met Miss Mills to give her treatments in 2003 and was asked to babysit for Beatrice before being offered a job as her nanny.

Before long she found she was expected to stay well past her finishing time of 6pm waiting for the couple to return home from engagements.

Although she said she had regarded Miss Mills as a friend, she said the 'relaxed' atmosphere changed when the couple separated.

When the pair began living in separate homes Miss Trumble looked after Beatrice at both, but she said this made her feel 'stuck in the middle' and 'uncomfortable'.


Court battle: Heather Mills, pictured with Sara Trumble in 2006, is appearing before an employment tribunal


Another nanny was arranged to look after Beatrice at Sir Paul's and Miss Trumble continued to work for Miss Mills, who bought her a new car, a two-seater Dihatsu Copen convertible, to thank her for her loyalty.

Miss Trumble said: 'Heather was very bitter towards Paul. I was, I believe, a great source of comfort and support for Heather at this time.'

Miss Trumble revealed her job became increasingly difficult after she was asked to accompany her boss to America to take part in the reality show Dancing With The Stars.

She said she had to look after Beatrice while she was struggling to acclimatise in a 'different time zone' and Miss Mills spent 'all day dancing'.

Their relationship started to go downhill when she went on maternity leave for six months.

'On one occasion I was asked to come over to Heather's house to do an interview,' Miss Trumble said. 'When I arrived there there was a cameraman and I was asked to tell them how wonderful I thought Heather was.

'This is an interview that Heather later uploaded on to YouTube. Heather had orchestrated it all and I felt I had no other option but to take part.'


Tribunal: Heather Mills is said to have become highly strung after splitting from Sir Paul McCartney


Another time, again while Miss Trumble was on maternity leave, Miss Mills called her and asked when she would be back at work.

'It was a really horrible, rude message and it reduced me to tears,' she said.

She also claims that in 2008 Miss Mills announced at a staff meeting that she was being replaced as nanny and moved to the role of cleaner, without telling her first.

Miss Trumble said: 'I went home very upset. I felt let down and humiliated. I felt my job had been taken away from me.'

She then decided to resign. Miss Trumble, of Westfield, East Sussex, who now works as a carer for the elderly and disabled, said: 'Heather can be very generous but there was also an unpleasant, distasteful side to her, especially when she feels crossed.

'She likes to surround herself with people who will support her blindly. She is also very highly strung.'

An employer's reference statement which Sir Paul gave to Miss Trumble before his separation from Miss Mills was read to the tribunal. In it Sir Paul said he found her to be 'trustful, reliable and extremely hard-working'.

An application for information from Miss Mills's and Sir Paul's divorce proceedings to be used as evidence was rejected because it was 'not relevant'.

Miss Trumble's solicitor said it should be used as it showed Miss Mills had been found by a High Court judge to have lied.

The tribunal, which is expected to last four days, continues.


source: dailymail

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