Sunday Life today exposes James Doran from Co Antrim as a sex pest who tormented his female secretary for almost two years.

Although Doran pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the Co Antrim woman in 2006, she was also awarded record damages by the Industrial Tribunals office last year.

The young mum received a whopping £35,552 compensation from her former employer after the tribunal ruled she was the victim of sex discrimination.

We know the name of the woman, who suffered a miscarriage during her months of abuse, but cannot publish it for legal reasons.

During 2004 and 2005, the tribunal's panel ruled the woman — known as claimant 'A' — had been subjected to a series of depraved incidents.

They included Doran:

l Interfering with a bottle of water and leaving it on her woman's desk.

l Pleasuring himself behind his victim's desk.

l Placing a pubic hair in his employee's soup.

l Following her to to the office toilets.

l Leaving his trousers unzipped.

l Making heavy breathing noises behind her back and.

l Referring to her as his "bit on the side".

We tracked Doran down to his plush home, where he refused to apologise for his actions.

When we confronted him he attempted to conceal his identity and yelled: " I just want to put this whole thing behind me now. Why is all this coming out now?

"This happened a long time ago and I just want to get on with my life."

The woman's Belfast-based solicitor, Aidan Deery, welcomed the compensation package given to his client.

He added: "This was very disgraceful behaviour from an employer against a member of his staff and the compensation package is rightly deserved because of the abuse she suffered.

OFFENCE

"The offence was compounded by extremely bad behaviour from Doran in the way he dealt with the whole thing. He never once showed any remorse.

"My client clearly went through an appaling time and still has extreme difficulties in trying to come to terms with what happened."

Claimant A was employed as an office administrator with an Antrim-based cleaning company when the abuse began.

We understand the businessman was forced to re-mortgage his house to pay the compensation.

Part of the mum's complaint was also against another boss — respondent 'C' — for not preventing the abuse.

The company later folded before Doran went on to set up his own business working from home.

Police also rejected Doran's initial claim that the pair had been having an affair.

The £35,000 sum is believed to be one of the biggest ever compensation packages paid in Northern Ireland.

This is the first time details of the case have emerged, during which Doran was referred to as respondent 'B'.

The tribunal's chairwoman, Ms Sheehan, ruled the victim had suffered depression, anxiety and was forced to receive counselling.

She concluded: "The respondents in their response denied the claimant had been sexually harassed.

"But in light of the plea of guilty by 'B' to a charge of indecent assault on the claimant arising from an incident in July 2005, the hearing was to proceed on the issue of the level of the compensatory award in respect of the claim of sexual harassment.

"Our task was to discover if other acts of harassment had occurred before the incident in July 2005.

"The claimant claimed that she felt scared of 'B' to this very day. 'B' residents not too far from the claimant and she would see him driver past her house. The tribunal accepted the claimant's evidence on this point.

UNLAWFUL

"In these circumstances, the tribunal is of the view that liability for these unlawful events follows the normal situations in partnerships - falls squarely with both respondents."

She added: "Having observed the claimant give her evidence, that the fear and anxiety she complained of was genuine. It was a fear that had lasted for one year and five months and the award for injury to her feelings was appropriate in this case."

A close pal of the woman told how she had been left "traumatised" by Doran's sick antics and depraved behaviour.

Added the pal: "She is the victim in this horrendous case and no amount of money will compensate for what she has been put through.

"She still sees this this man walking about without a care in the world while she has to live with the abuse she endured.

"It's been a tough time for them and people should always remember that she is the innocent party here.

"She can only pray that Doran has been taught a harsh lesson and hasn't subjected anyone else to such degrading behaviour."