British businessman accused of sexual harassment and racism has been granted an injunction to stop him being identified in the press

A LEADING British businessman accused of sexual harassment and racism against staff has been granted an injunction stopping him from being identified.

The gagging order, made at the High Court yesterday, means it is illegal to name the senior executive or report the accusations.

He had used controversial non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to guarantee that five complainants remained silent after they initially came forward.

NDAs were used by US movie mogul Harvey Weinstein to silence and pay off his alleged victims. Claims against him sparked the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment.

In yesterday’s separate case, the Brit businessman told the Court of Appeal that reporting complainants’ claims would breach the confidentiality of the NDAs.

A story about allegations of bullying, intimidation and sexual harassment was due to be published by The Telegraph before the ruling.

Weinstein’s former aide Zelda Perkins, who broke an NDA to accuse him of sexual harassment, told the newspaper fewer people “would be putting their hands up someone’s skirt if they knew they didn’t have a get-out”.

The unnamed Brit exec’s initial bid for a gagging order was denied when a judge ruled publication would be overwhelmingly in the public interest.

But yesterday’s judges extended an interim gagging order and allowed him to appeal that ruling. They are Sir Terence Etherton, Lord Justice Underhill and Lord Justice Henderson.

Maria Miller, chair of the Commons Women and Equality committee, said it was “shocking” that NDAs were being used to gag people.

Meanwhile employment law specialist Jonathan Cohen QC said it was “odd” that the “ability to keep bad news out of the press [depends] on whether you’re rich or poor”.

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