The book follows the sexual encounters of a first-year student at a fictional Oxford college, (notably, he is also named Peter) who is eventually convicted for “sexual impropriety” in a trial. Ellie Pyemont, who brought a sexual assault case against him in 2006, said that she “recognised” herself in the story and emphasised the implications of a lecturer who writes erotic fantasies about teenagers: "The significant point is that the person behind this derisory book was in a position of power over young people at Trinity Hall for decades."
In 2015, after more than a dozen complaints of sexual harassment, he agreed to stop teaching and was banned from all undergraduate contact.
Hutchinson had been accused and cleared in criminal court of sexually assaulting a student, despite admitting to Norwich Crown Court that he patted the accuser on the bottom and commenting: “I cannot understand why something which seemed so trivial was important to her.” In 2015, after more than a dozen complaints of sexual harassment, he agreed to stop teaching and was banned from all undergraduate contact. In 2017, his attendance at a Trinity Hall event sparked an investigation into the terms of his agreement with the College, and after “having received legal advice”, Trinity distinguished which events he could and could not attend. Following this, in October 2019 they fully reinstated his emeritus status, stating that his removal had been “incorrect”.
As an Emeritus fellow, Hutchinson retains his “dining rights” to free meals in college, as well as being allowed to attend certain events. Trinity confirmed the extent of his ban: Hutchinson “will not attend events primarily aimed at students or alumni except by agreement with the college".
During the summer of 2019, Cambridge also adjusted their definition of sexual harassment to exclude acts of sexual misconduct, which resulted in multiple complainants being told that their complaint would “not be taken further at this time.”