Heather Mills' ex-nanny gives evidence to tribunal

Heather Mills's former nanny has told an employment tribunal that she forced her staff to say positive things about her to a film crew, made her work long hours without any extra pay, and caused her to feel uncomfortable by moaning to her about ex-husband Sir Paul McCartney.

Sara Trumble, 26, said her former employer became rude and highly strung after she and the ex-Beatle divorced in 2008.

She also claimed the former model was unsympathetic towards her when she went through a difficult pregnancy, forcing her to accompany her on trips abroad.

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Ms Trumble, who was paid 260 a week by Mills, said she felt she was a hard-working and loyal worker but in return her former boss took advantage of her.

Opening her case for compensation before an employment tribunal in Ashford yesterday (Monday) Ms Trumble said she met Mills when she came in for beauty treatments where she worked at Hilden Health Club in Rye, in the summer of 2003.

She said Mills, who was living with Sir Paul at his Peasmarsh estate at the time, "was really nice and genuine" at first and when she told her she had been offered another job she asked if she would like to come and work for her instead.

She said her role was not specifically set out but she understood she would be looking after her and Sir Paul's six-month-old daughter Beatrice.

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Ms Trumble, who lived with her family in Westfield, said that from April 2004 she was employed to look after Beatrice from 10am to 6pm, five days a week.

However she soon found she was often expected to stay well into the evening while she waited for Mills and Sir Paul to return home from their various engagements, but received no extra pay.

Ms Trumble, who kept a diary throughout much of her employment, said her hours changed as Beatrice grew older and began going to nursery and she was then expected to help with housework as well.

Ms Trumble also said that following the couple's separation in May 2006 her job changed further as custody of the little girl was shared between Mills and Sir Paul and he hired his own nanny to look after her when she was with him.

"Heather was very bitter towards Paul," she said.

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"I was, I believe, a great source of comfort and support for Heather at this time."

Earlier the tribunal was delayed due to legal argument over whether information from their divorce proceedings should be used as evidence.

Ms Trumble's solicitor Nick Fairweather argued that the High Court judgment made following the divorce was "highly relevant" as "one of the parties has been found to lie under oath".

Sitting at the back of the hearing room, Mills uttered a long "no" as Mr Fairweather said it should be used as it demonstrated her credibility.

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"She (Mills) was found by a High Court judge under the forensic scrutiny of the High Court to have lied," he said.

But Caroline Crampton-Thomas, representing Mills, said using the judgment would "unfairly prejudice" her client.

After considering the matter, tribunal judge Steven Vowles said it should not be used on the grounds of its late disclosure and lack of relevance.

Dressed in a navy blue pinstripe blazer and jeans and wearing black stiletto heels, Mills muttered to her friends throughout Ms Trumble's evidence.

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The former nanny is seeking compensation from Mills on the grounds of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal and also claims she suffered changes to her employment terms following her maternity leave.

Ms Trumble said that after the divorce Mills left Peasmarsh to live at her new nine-bedroom house in Robertsbridge.

But she was also expected to make the hour-and-a-half drive to her beachfront home in Hove when Mills was staying there.

Ms Trumble said she was shocked when Mills told her she had to tell a film crew she had hired "how wonderful she was" for a film that was put on YouTube.

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"The interview was entirely orchestrated by Heather," she said.

"I felt I had no choice but to take part."

She also said she felt "awkward, upset and embarrassed" when Mills kept asking her if her new boyfriend, Jamie Walker, ever flirted with her.

Ms Trumble told the tribunal that when she became pregnant in February 2007 Mills paid for her to go to a private clinic in London.

But she said she resented having to accompany Mills and Beatrice to the US while she competed in Dancing With The Stars as she was very sick at the time.

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Ms Trumble said she was very grateful when Mills gave her a cheque for 1,000 after she gave birth to a daughter but added that she was then asked to look after Beatrice when she was meant to be on maternity leave.

She said Mills left her a voicemail message demanding she come back to work.

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

After returning from maternity leave she said her childminding role lessened even further as Beatrice started school and she did admin work for Mills and was also expected to cook her meals.

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But she was further upset when Mills called in all her staff for a meeting to be told that she was hiring a new nanny and she would instead be a full-time cleaner.

She said: "My core function had always been looking after Beatrice and she had been a huge part of my life over the past four years.

"What hurt most was that she didn't even say it to me personally, she announced it in front of everyone."

Ms Trumble said she decided to give in her notice but was further upset when Mills demanded she sign a further confidentiality contract.

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She said she had already been made to fill in a number of forms during her employment to stop her going to the press but she was offended that Mills felt it necessary to fill in another one.

"Throughout my employment I've never abused her or Paul's trust," she said.

Ms Trumble told the hearing that she often found Mills to be generous as she also gave her a Daihatsu Copen as a gift during her employment.

But she added that when she handed in her notice she was "shocked, hurt and offended" when she demanded she give the convertible back, although she did eventually let her keep it.

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Ms Trumble went on: "She is someone who likes to surround herself with people who support her blindly.

"Heather is more than capable of lying and will get her friends to do so."

Ms Trumble said that at Beatrice's fourth birthday party the child was found on her own on a bouncy castle in the dark.

But when during cross-examination Ms Crampton-Thomas asked if she was insinuating that Mills was a bad mother, she said was not.

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The tribunal was read a statement from Sir Paul in which he said he had found Ms Trumble to be "trustful, reliable and extremely hardworking" and said he would "be more than happy to refer Sara to anyone".

Mills was awarded 24.3 million following a high-profile divorce battle between the pair, who married in 2002.

Mills, who lost a leg when she was hit by a police motorcyclist in 1993, has since has opened a vegan restaurant near her home in Hove named VBites.

The tribunal was adjourned until today (Tuesday) when Mills is expected to give evidence.

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