Cambridge University don readmitted to college following sexual harassment complaints
Former student who complained of misconduct calls decision a ‘slap in the face’
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Your support makes all the difference.A Cambridge don who was investigated for sexually harassing students has been readmitted to his college less than two years after it was announced he had been permanently removed.
Dr Peter Hutchinson was withdrawn from all college activities in 2017, and Trinity Hall College said he would no longer be present on the grounds.
But the Cambridge college has now said the decision to remove the former modern languages lecturer was “incorrect” and had not been agreed with Dr Hutchinson.
Dr Hutchinson, who remains an emeritus fellow of Trinity Hall, will continue to attend certain college events and “exercise his dining rights” despite the complaints.
In 2017, Dr Hutchinson apologised after 10 students complained of “inappropriate sexual and sexist” behaviour towards them.
He stopped teaching in 2015 after a string of allegations against him in 2014 and 2015 sparked an investigation by the college into his conduct.
Dr Hutchinson has now been reinstated onto the college’s list of emeritus fellows following “extensive discussion and legal advice”, Trinity Hall said.
A statement from Trinity Hall said: “Dr Hutchinson will continue to attend certain college events and to exercise his dining rights, but will not attend events primarily aimed at students or alumni except by agreement with the college.”
The decision has been criticised by former students who brought complaints against Dr Hutchinson.
Sophie Newbery, who graduated in German and Russian from Trinity Hall in 2018, told BBC News the decision felt like “a slap in the face” after complainants had “worked up the courage to speak out”.
She claimed Dr Hutchinson had offered to give her a “big kiss” on her birthday, made comments about her clothing and asked a group of four students if they would “sleep [their] way to the top”.
In the original grievance, seen by BBC News, she alleged that Dr Hutchinson asked a female student whether a discussion on the subject of a dominatrix in a book turned her on.
Ms Newbery said: “It feels like they never took our complaint seriously and never cared as, one year after graduating, they’ve snuck him back in.”
Cambridge has been in the spotlight in recent months over its handling of sexual misconduct complaints.
In August, a former Cambridge student announced plans to sue the institution over the way it dealt with her sexual harassment complaint, saying its response had left her more traumatised than the alleged incidents.
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