St Hugh's College in Oxford sets up harassment inquiry

Professor David Robertson was a fellow at St Hugh's College in Oxford

Allegations of misconduct and sexual harassment at an Oxford University college will be investigated by an independent inquiry.

The governing body of St Hugh's College commissioned the investigation after claims about the behaviour of a now-deceased fellow.

In an article on the website The Pool, author Mel McGrath accused Professor David Robertson of "doing a Weinstein on me".

Prof Robertson died in August.

St Hugh's was founded in 1886 as a college for women studying at Oxford and accepted its first male students in 1987.

Its former students include the Prime Minister Theresa May.

'Man spreading'

Ms McGrath made the reference to Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein in the article about her former tutor.

She said Prof Robertson "held tutorials in his flat on college grounds and had an uncanny knack for scheduling a shower, at whatever time of day, just before I arrived".

"He'd open the door - as if innocently - dressed in his bathrobe and, one time, in a tiny towel," she wrote.

"For the next hour I would have to undergo the humiliating experience of reading my essay, on which I had laboured hard and with serious intent, while David sat opposite, half-naked and man spreading."

'Misconduct allegations'

Alison Levitt QC, who carried out a review into the crimes of the late Jimmy Savile, will chair the inquiry.

Ms McGrath was also critical of St Hugh's and said that if the authorities had not heard the rumours about Prof Robertson's alleged behaviour "they couldn't have been listening very hard".

The college confirmed that an investigation had been launched but a spokeswoman said it would be inappropriate to comment until it was complete.

In the terms of reference given to Ms Levitt, the college says it "has recently received allegations of historic misconduct and sexual harassment about a now deceased fellow from two former students".

It adds: "The college requests you to carry out an independent investigation about these allegations and whether the circumstances of these or of similar allegations were known to the members of governing body or management staff of the college."