MP Jared O’Mara has been accused of sexually harassing a young female employee to the point where ‘she can no longer stay silent’.
Jennifer Barnes told The Times he pestered her with a series of “wildly inappropriate” texts, often making misogynistic comments and once telling staff “people should call women c***s more often”.
Mr O’Mara, 37, is also alleged to have told staff “I’ll have to nickname myself ‘Thrush’ because I irritate c***s.”
In WhatsApp messages seen by The Times, Mr O’Mara allegedly told Ms Barnes he was madly in love with her, calling her an ‘angel, a ‘delicate little flower’ and ‘effortlessly pretty’.
The messages, allegedly sent at late at night or early in the morning, reportedly left the 20-year-old junior member of his staff feeling intimated, degraded and anxious.
She said she never gave him any sign she was interested in him.
Ms Barnes is believed to have sent Mr O’Mara a formal grievance letter saying his alleged sexual harassment left her feeling “uncomfortable to the point at which I can no longer stay silent.”
Mr O’Mara allegedly accepts he sent messages to Ms Barnes but said his comments were jokes and claims his messages were never sexual, adding that he did not have any attraction for her.
(Image: PA)
He announced this week that he is ‘taking time out’ to receive professional help to deal with mental health issues and “issues regarding self-medication”.
The Independent MP – who took the Sheffield Hallam seat for Labour from former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in 2017 – made the announcement on Twitter days after a disgruntled former employee hijacked his feed for a dramatic online resignation.
Responding to criticism about his conduct, he said: “In a few weeks, I will be making a follow-up statement regarding my position, until then I will be taking time out to receive professional help to deal with my mental health and personal issues regarding self-medication.”
(Image: Sheffield Star / SWNS.com)
He said: “I would like to start by apologising to my family, my friends and my constituents. I have not been honest with you about the depths of my depression and self-loathing.
“When I started this job in 2017 I was a different man: a confident and passionate man that wanted to help others.
“Sadly, I was unable to do that because very quickly I was bullied and mistreated in a harsh and unforgiving environment and that led me to be weak.”
(Image: Sheffield Star / SWNS.com)
Last year, Mr O’Mara resigned from Labour, saying he had been “made unfairly to feel like a criminal”, and now sits as an independent.
On Thursday he said that discrimination he has suffered has led to the deterioration in his mental health to the point at which he recently “suffered a delusional episode”.
He said: “I want to become a better person again; like I was.
“I feel I’ve become unrecognisable and I want to make amends. I need treatment for my mental health and rest first though. “
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “We take the welfare of our MPs very seriously and, while Jared is no longer a Labour MP, we are concerned for his welfare and we have continued to provide support to him, and will continue to do so.”
