FINANCE officer Helena Hinde said she came close to suicide in the face of the unwanted attentions of a male colleague.

Now her former council employers are suing the man blamed for her ordeal, to try and recover some of the cash they were forced to pay out in compensation.

Mother-of-five Ms Hinde, 37, of Gascoyne Close, in Marton, Middlesbrough, on Teesside, worked as a senior auditor in Middlesbrough Borough Council's finance department.

However, in September 1999, she walked out of her £22,000-a-year post and a month later - along with another female colleague - launched an employment tribunal case against senior officer Terry Quinn.

Ms Hinde sued bosses for sex discrimination.

Days before a tribunal hearing, she was handed almost £50,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

Ms Hinde said her ordeal began just a week after she began working with finance officer Mr Quinn, 53.

As well as talking about women's breast sizes, it is alleged he "fiddled" with a female worker's hair and rubbed women on their hands and arms.

Ms Hinde complained to managers about the touching, but Quinn responded by saying he was a "tactile" person.

She went off sick in January 1999 and her complaints were investigated internally.

Mr Quinn was suspended, but after four months he went back to work with a written warning, even though the internal inquiry had said he should be dismissed for gross misconduct.

Ms Hinde said it was a "slap in the face".

In September 1999 she quit her job and within weeks Mr Quinn was granted early retirement.

The council admitted that measures taken against Mr Quinn by senior managers were "ineffective".

Ms Hinde, who is still off work because of the trauma, said: "No amount of money can make up for what I have been through.

"Years of my life have been ruined and no one has been held accountable.

"I still feel suicidal sometimes. It has affected my marriage, my family, everything."

Mr Quinn has been unavailable for comment.

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Borough Council said: "We are currently taking legal advice on whether we can take action against Mr Quinn to recoup some, or all of the awards against the council.