Sex allegations against Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner have worsened, as details of alleged relationships with ‘high profile stars’ and senior staff emerge in court documents.
A report from Fairfax details former executive assistant Amber Harrison’s claims against Worner, who was 51 when he began an affair with 35-year-old Harrison in 2012.
Harrison was working for Nick Chan, the then CEO of Pacific Magazines.
Details of the affair were made public this week after Harrison first contacted the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in May, when private negotiations with Seven West Media broke down.
In legal documents given to the HRC, Harrison reportedly stated Worner had a “propensity to abuse his position as an executive at Seven West to groom and utilise female employees and other women in the industry for his sexual gratification”.
The document, seen by Fairfax, also detailed relationships with other women in the company, including two high-profile ‘stars’ and three other staff.
One of the alleged relationships became public with “Mr Worner and Ms [name withheld] having verbal arguments in the office which were witnessed by senior and support staff”, the document stated.
Listen: Mia Freedman, Holly Wainwright and Monique Bowley discuss the ramifications of office affairs
Harrison also claimed that the woman was promoted to a top-rating show, which was “significant and unusual career advancement”, but senior executives continued to turn a blind eye.
According the HRC submission, Seven group chairman Kerry Stokes may have known about Worner’s inappropriate conduct for up to two years.
A Seven West representative responded in a statement this evening saying that “[Mr Stokes] has always made clear to Mr Worner that the alleged conduct, even though a personal matter, was completely unacceptable”.
They also denied any knowledge of other affairs.
Along with several other claims submitted to the HRC, Harrison also claimed Worner used a Seven West corporate credit card to pay for travel expenses when he came to her home for sex and that the pair often used cocaine during their sexual encounters.
Overnight, the company’s share price plunged by $98 million, with Worner stating he was “filled with the deepest regret and shame” over the allegations.
Mamamia has reached out to Seven West Media for comment.