Saga of Rob Lowe v Hired Help|Continues In California Courts

SANTA BARBARA (CN) - Rob Lowe claims in a court complaint that his former chef threw parties while Lowe was out of town, had sex in his bed and spread malicious lies about Lowe, while, in a cross-complaint, the actor's former nanny claims that Lowe sexually assaulted her by sticking his hand down her pants.

Both actions were filed in Superior Court.

Lowe claims that Peter Clements breached a confidentiality agreement and maliciously lied about his conditions of employment. Lowe and his wife claim that, among other things, Clements disclosed their private phone number and address, threw parties at their house while they were out of town, had sex in their bed with strangers, stole from their medicine cabinet and gave the prescription drugs to his friends, overcharged them for food and stole food for his catering business, took mail from their mailbox and destroyed it, and spread malicious lies about them.

Represented by Stanton Stein of Santa Monica, the Lowes demand punitive damages for trespass, defamation, breach of contract, emotional distress and six other charges.

Meanwhile, the Lowe's former nanny, Jessica Gibson, filed a cross-complaint accusing Rob Lowe of sexually assaulting and battering her during her seven years' work for the couple. Gibson, who says she worked as a nanny for the Lowes from 2001 until Feb. 24 this year, claims the actor sexually harassed her, stiffed her for overtime, forced her to work off the clock, misclassified her as an independent contractor, refused to give her rest breaks as required by the Labor Code, and that after hiring her "to cater to their every need," and abusing her, he is trying "to hide behind a purported 'Confidentiality Agreement.'"

Gibson says the Lowes paid her $18 an hour. She claims Rob Lowe's alleged sexual assaults began in September 2005 and continued through January this year. The alleged assaults seem to consist of his sticking his hand in her pants, according to the complaint.

Gibson is represented by Gloria Allred of Los Angeles.

The Lowes sued their former nanny in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this month, claiming she defamed them and lied about the conditions of her work.

And for those interested in the Rob Lowe saga, the actor's address in Santa Barbara was the spark that set the labor fire that has consumed the Santa Barbara News Press. The newspaper's owner, cable heiress Wendy McCaw, objected when her news staff published the address of the lot where Lowe planned to build a 12,000 square-foot mansion, though the address was a matter of public record. In the ensuing brouhaha, most of the top editors and many of the reporters and columnists at the News Press quit or were fired.

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