The man at the centre of a nude photo scandal involving a Manitoba judge pursued a sexual harassment complaint against her because he was unhappy with the outcome of an unrelated case, a lawyer said Monday.

Ian Histed, who had previously represented Alexander Chapman in a number of civil cases, testified Monday at the inquiry into Lori Douglas, an associate chief justice on Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench.

Histed told the inquiry Monday that Chapman “was very discouraged about the administration of justice in Manitoba” because he was unhappy with a settlement that was reached after he slapped Winnipeg police with a malicious prosecution lawsuit.

“He didn't seem to be thinking he was going to get a fair hearing,” Histed said.

In 2010, Chapman filed lawsuits against Douglas and others, and filed a complaint with the Canadian Judicial Council. Those suits were eventually dismissed or dropped, but the complaint led to the current inquiry.

Chapman accuses Douglas and her husband, Jack King, of harassing him in 2003, while King was representing Chapman in his divorce.

Chapman says King directed him to nude photos of his wife that he had posted online and asked Chapman to have sex with her. While Chapman and King discussed the plan, both Douglas and King maintain that she knew nothing about it.

The only contact Douglas and Chapman had was during two meetings arranged by King at a downtown bar. Chapman says Douglas touched him on the bicep and leg. Douglas denies that allegation.

As this was going on, Douglas and King were lawyers at the same firm.

Chapman hired Histed to be his lawyer when he sued King for harassment in 2003, a case that was settled for $25,000. The settlement included a confidentiality clause, and both parties agreed that the harassment issue had been resolved.

However, Chapman’s case against the Winnipeg police was heard by a judge he believed to be a friend of Douglas’s, which prompted Chapman to file the 2010 lawsuit against her.

"He was going to spill the beans, as it were. I obviously discouraged him from doing that,” Histed said, given the terms of Chapman’s settlement with King.

Among other points, the inquiry is investigating whether Douglas disclosed the situation regarding the photos to the committee that vetted her ahead of her judicial appointment. The inquiry can recommend that Douglas be removed from the bench.

With files from The Canadian Press