Policewoman awarded substantial compensation for sex discrimination

Posted 13/06/2010

A policewoman has been awarded damages of up to £575,000 after being subjected to discrimination at work because she is a woman.

Barbara Lynford, now 41, was part of a firearms team deployed by Sussex Police to Gatwick Airport and was the only female member of staff.

However, she claimed that her male colleagues regularly called her sexist nicknames, made comments about her breasts and left topless photos of models around for her to find.

After she made an official complaint, Ms Lynford was awarded £275,000 in compensation, which may rise to £575,000 in lost earnings should she be deemed fit to work after her current sick leave.

If she is not, she will instead begin to receive her police pension immediately.

“In all my life I have never been treated as badly as I have been at Gatwick,” the victim commented.

Meanwhile, it was reported earlier this month that sex and age discrimination claims against the BBC have increased fourfold over the past two years.