A 48-year-old business woman whose boss offered her money to sleep with him has been awarded £150,000 compensation by an employment tribunal.

Patricia MacKinnon, from Bickley, found herself forced to leave her high-ranking executive role in 2003, after refusing the advances of Jack Parkinson, chairman of Kent-based HR GO plc (formerly the Human Resource Group).

He had offered to pay her £1,000 each time she spent the weekend with him.

After the tribunal’s decision Mrs MacKinnon said: "Following three very difficult years I am looking forward to developing my new business Compass Personnel and learning how to smile again."

In December 2003, a tribunal found in favour of claims of sex discrimination.

Mr Parkinson, 60, had become infatuated with the single mother after buying a controlling share in her business, Bromley Appointments. Mrs MacKinnon’s complaint that she was unfairly dismissed was also upheld.

As well as the indecent proposal, Parkinson told her he could see through her skirt and that it excited him, commented on her breasts and said to her: "I want to lick you all over every time I see you."

They came face to face again in recent weeks at a second tribunal, held in Ashford, which decided how much she would receive for past and future lost earnings and emotional injury.

Some former employees of Mrs MacKinnon had claimed that she made up the sexual harassment claims and said that if she had not resigned, they would have.

In its judgement, the tribunal said: "Over a period of some months, Mr Parkinson attempted to persuade Mrs MacKinnon to embark upon a sexual relationship with him, offering her, at different times, security and money.

"This was done against the background of the power which he had over her. The complete failure of the company...to carry out a proper investigation of her legitimate grievances undoubtedly made the injury to her feelings a lot worse.

"The company exacerbated the wrong which they had done to Mrs MacKinnon by the nature of the defence it ran in tribunal."

The tribunal concluded that the evidence of a former colleague at HR GO plc, Liz Upton, had been unreliable.

In his evidence, group personnel director Hugh Billot had said that other staff said they would resign if Mrs McKinnon did not and the company had sustained losses under her management.

The tribunal found that "the bulk of evidence upon which he relied in his statements to the tribunal was based on what he was told by members of staff who were anxious to preserve their jobs or to ensure advancement".

Mr Parkinson and HR GO plc were each ordered to pay £67,596 and Bromley Appointments were ordered to pay £15,661 damages.

The company said in a statement: "It is with disappointment that HR GO plc Group has this afternoon received final notification of the compensation award to Patricia MacKinnon, following the outcome of the Tribunal claim against the Group.

"Although HR GO feels that it has been unjustly treated by Ms MacKinnon and are extremely disappointed at the outcome of the Tribunal we are however pleased that the final award instructed to be paid is substantially lower than Ms MacKinnon’s original claim."