A law firm boss has been suspended after he humiliated a junior female lawyer who was battling medical issues by giving her a box of vitamins for women aged 70+ in their office.

John Navani, 58, cruelly targeted the lawyer by giving her a box of 'Wellwoman 70+' supplements in front of other colleagues, a tribunal heard.

He had previously told her her eczema was 'disgusting' and needed foundation to hide, even asking colleagues if it was 'catchy'.

The humiliating act was part of a campaign by Navani that saw him harass five junior female lawyers who worked for the Central London law firm that he owned.

Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has now suspended him for 12 months for harassing the women at Criminal Defence Solicitors.

One employee, an intern, was 'trapped' in his flat after the company's Christmas party and asked by Navani if she would be his 'live-in nanny' before he asked her for a hug and kiss in what the tribunal ruled was 'sexually motivated' behaviour.

Other female employees said Navani used derogatory language about them or quizzed them about why they hadn’t returned from time off with ‘treats’ – including one woman who had been to her grandfather’s funeral.

Navani was a solicitor and owner of The Independent Criminal Law Specialists - which trades as Criminal Defence Solicitors and operated out of a Central London office.

He was admitted as a solicitor in 1996 and founded the company three years later.

His bullying behaviour started in 2016 when 'Person A' started at the company, initially as a case worker, then as a pupil and eventually as a barrister in 2018.

She said that early in her tenure, she attended a rape trial with Navani and afterwards he hugged her inappropriately and spoke to her about hiring prostitutes.

He also got her attention in the office by snapping his fingers and using offensive language – even when she was on the phone.

When Person A went on holiday and did not bring 'sweets' back, he called her in for a 30-minute meeting and said she was not a 'team player', 'stood over her, clenched his fists, and spoke through gritted teeth, causing her to fear physical harm'.

'Person C' joined the firm in June 2018 as a paralegal before being offered pupillage, which is barrister training.

Person C was immediately put off the atmosphere in the office when her new boss told her that her colleagues 'hated her'.

She recalled him telling her that an intern was 'very sexy' and that people who went to the University of Hertfordshire were 'wasters and idiots'.

That November, Navani made the comment about her eczema. Person C also ‘described being given two boxes of 'Wellwoman 70+' vitamins in the office after disclosing medical issues, which she considered humiliating."

He did this in front of the office staff and 'told her that they would make her better and stop her taking time off for medical appointments'.

She resigned that December and reported the incidents to the official regulator.

After the Christmas party that month, Navani offered 'Person E', who had undertaken an internship at the firm, a lift back to the train station, which she accepted.

However he drove her to his own flat despite her 'repeated requests' not to, making her feel 'rising panic' but 'unable to object because of concerns about her career'.

The Tribunal described: "She stated that once inside the flat, (Navani) dimmed the lights, adjusted the sofa to recline, and suggested she lie down. He offered her a drink, told her to relax, and proposed meditation.

"He also asked her to help put his child to bed and suggested she could become a 'live-in nanny'. Person E said these actions and comments made her feel trapped and fearful.

"She recalled that (Navani) asked for a hug and a kiss before she left. She said this confirmed her impression that his behaviour was intended to cross professional boundaries and was sexual in nature.’

After Person C complained against the law boss, the regulator investigated and found a pattern of misconduct.

It suspended him from practice for a year.

The tribunal heard: "Regarding the Wellwoman vitamins incident, he admitted giving Person C two boxes of '70+' Wellwoman tablets but said this was intended as a gesture of help after general conversation about vitamins.’

Navani ‘maintained there was no improper motive’, but the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal panel accepted Person C’s account and ruled the giving of the vitamins was ‘designed to humiliate’.

The panel also accepted ‘that he told Person C that the tablets would stop her taking time off for medical appointments."

It concluded: "The Tribunal also noted significant recurring themes across the complainants’ evidence, including inappropriate personal questioning during interviews, comments about appearance or dress, dismissive or demeaning language, and conduct that blurred professional boundaries.

"The Tribunal further noted the evidence of repeated queries raised by (Navani) against those who had not brought sweets or ‘treats’ back to the office after returning from holidays covered by annual leave.

"The harm was compounded by the substantial imbalance of power and (Navani's) position of authority, which rendered the complainants particularly vulnerable.’

Navani has also been made subject to an assessment to see how much money he will have to pay for costs.