Downton Abbey star Peter Egan denies bullying anti-hunting charity boss who’s suing him for £3MILLION
A Downton Abbey star has firmly denied bullying the former head of an anti-hunting charity – who claims he was driven out of his job by a campaign of abuse.
Peter Egan, best known for playing the Marquess of Flintshire in the hit period drama, has hit back at accusations made by Andy Knott, the ex-chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports.
Knott, a former senior army officer who served in Afghanistan, is pursuing a £3million compensation claim, alleging that he was forced to resign from the charity after a barrage of bullying from its prominent members.
The League, founded in 1924 with support from the likes of Thomas Hardy, has long been at the forefront of anti-hunting campaigns.
According to the Times, Knott claims the charity’s trustees wanted to expel a group of ‘hunt saboteurs’ from the organisation, or prevent them from joining, which led to a sustained campaign of harassment against him.
He also alleges that Egan was removed as vice-president and stopped renewing his membership after 2020 due to his concerns about the charity’s direction.
Peter Egan, best known for playing the Marquess of Flintshire in the hit period drama, has hit back at accusations made by Andy Knott, the ex-chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports
Andy Knott, the ex-chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports claims the charity’s trustees wanted to expel a group of ‘hunt saboteurs’ from the organisation
According to Knott, the abuse involved the spread of ‘false rumours’ and ‘dishonest accusations’ aimed at discrediting him.
However, Egan, now 78, strongly denies any wrongdoing and insists that he was merely questioning the charity’s leadership decisions.
‘I never, ever harassed anyone. I do not believe in that, but I do believe in asking questions,’ Egan said.
‘What [Knott] is suggesting is rubbish. I certainly never harassed him. I asked questions politely about what was going on in the league and I might have questioned his suitability, being an ex-army officer, of being the chief executive officer of an animal rights charity.’
Knott’s legal claim also includes allegations that other prominent figures, including John Cooper KC, a renowned human rights barrister, and Chris Williamson, the former Labour MP, were involved in the smear campaign.
Knott says Cooper made a ‘false and malicious complaint’ about an alleged assault at the charity’s 2018 AGM.
Cooper, however, has dismissed Knott’s accusations as ‘absolutely wrong’ and reiterated his commitment to the League.
He also alleges that Egan was removed as vice-president and stopped renewing his membership after 2020 due to his concerns about the charity’s direction
‘I am absolutely not an advocate of hunt saboteuring or any any breaking of the law,’ Cooper stated.
He also stressed that he couldn’t recall any direct interaction with Knott and did not attend the controversial AGM.
Knott claims that his concerns were ignored by Dan Norris, the League’s chairman and a Labour MP.
The ex-army officer, who received an MBE for his service in 2004, says he ultimately left the charity after achieving more success in his six years than the organisation had in its entire 100-year history.
‘I decided I wouldn’t be bullied any longer,’ Knott said in his legal claim.
A spokesperson for the League Against Cruel Sports said: ‘The League is aware of certain claims being made by a former member of staff, and as proceedings are now ongoing, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.’
Dan Norris and Chris Williamson have been approached for comment.
