Fashanu pays 'slave maid'

I'm a Celebrity star John Fashanu has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to a former maid who claims he treated her like a slave.

Genevieve Bassene, 24, alleged that she worked 117-hour weeks for the former footballer but was paid only £300 a month.

She said she cooked, cleaned and ironed for Fashanu and his now ex-wife Melissa and claimed she was owed an estimated £40,000 in pay.

Fashanu was set to appear at Watford Employment Tribunal today but lawyers for the star reached a confidential agreement with Miss Bassene.

After the short hearing Miss Bassene, who now lives in Wetherby Gardens, south west London, declared: "I am happy it is finished, the last few months have been very stressful for me, I worked very hard for them and I'm fine now."

She said she couldn't say anything more but she was happy with the settlement.

The tribunal previously heard she spent 18 hours a day looking after the family, taking the children to school and feeding the baby.

When visitors came to the house, she claimed she was the one who served food to them.

She had travelled to the UK to live with the Fashanus in August 2001 at their home in Finchley, north London.

She worked for them for nearly two years before leaving.

She said she shared a room with their six-year-old son who often wet the bed and would scream at night.

Another witness Lesley McGowan, a care worker from Barnett, who visited the house, told the tribunal Miss Bassene was not allowed to put the Fashanus' baby, Alannah, down in case she cried and so was forced to carry the infant on her back.

A spokesman for Mr Fashanu said he had no comment to make.

Tribunal chairman Peter Hunt said if Mr Fashanu complied with the terms of the agreement and paid what was required within 28 days the application would stand dismissed.