Anthony James, the former GP who is now a director at UK based publisher Pink News, has been stood down from his role as a director at Bedfordshire Hospitals.
The move follows the publication of a report from the BBC that saw over 30 current and former employees of the publication accused James and his husband Benjamin Cohen of bullying and inappropriate sexual behaviour.
James is a director of the company that runs Pink News as well as being it’s Marketing Executive, Cohen is the founder of the company and its CEO.
Bedfordshire hospitals NHS foundation trust said on Wednesday that it had decided to suspend James from his role as associate non-executive director role pending further information.
Representative for the couple have told the BBC they are unable to provide a response to the allegations at this time, but it is understood that their position is the allegations being made against them are false. OUTin Perth has also reached out to the couple for comment.
The BBC say they spoke to more than 30 current and former staff members who described a culture of heavy drinking that led to instances of both men touching staff inappropriately and one some occasions propositioning younger male staffers for sex.
In the expose staff members allege bullying and sexual misconduct has made some of them feel unsafe around Cohen and James. Others have alleged the couple would also ask female staff members to consider being surrogates for them.
One of the most serious accusations, that the BBC said was backed up by several staff members, concerned an alleged incident at a London Pub where team members gathered after a company event. The staff say Anthony James had led a young colleague behind a tree and was groping and kissing him, but staff felt he was too intoxicated to provide consent.
Staff said they were too afraid of reporting the boss’s husband for his behaviour, but the BBC says a staff member later made an official complaint. The result of the complaint is unknown.
Another former staff member shared a story of allegedly being propositioned by Cohen. He said the approach made him feel uncomfortable and he avoiding being alone with the CEO during his remaining time working at the publication.
While another staff member said he’d been slapped on the buttocks by Cohen in front of other staff members and it left him feeling uncomfortable.
