Scotsman.com News - Insitutional racism - £500,000 for 'race slur' policewoman

A BLACK policewoman who claimed she suffered race and sex discrimination is to receive a reported £500,000, it emerged today.

Joy Hendricks, 38, agreed the payout with the Metropolitan Police before an employment tribunal hearing to decide the case.

Her allegations had included being given white face paint as a Christmas present from a colleague because he said she behaved as if she were white.

She had also claimed to have been taunted about her colour and sexually assaulted.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said today: "Joy Hendricks and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police have reached a settlement of her claims for sex and race discrimination.

"The settlement involves the payment of a sum of money to Ms Hendricks, without admission of liability on the part of the Commissioner. Employment tribunal proceedings will not now go ahead."

Miss Hendricks, of Enfield, north London was a member of the force’s anti-vice territorial support group between 1989 and 1994 and had been a Met officer since January 1987. She had been on sick leave since March 1999 with stress and was on full pay until April 2000 when her pay was stopped.

Miss Hendricks was also cleared of attacking a fellow officer in 1998 following a two-day trial at London’s Horseferry Magistrates Court. She had claimed she punched the officer in self defence after he made an offensive comment to her, referring to murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence, and approached her with a snooker cue.

She told an employment tribunal hearing in 2001 that the officer described her as "dodgy" and then said: "Watch out, here is Stevie Lawrence two."

The settlement of £500,000 does not include legal costs and the possibility of other sums as part of the settlement.

The Metropolitan force was branded "institutionally racist" by the Macpherson inquiry into the handling of the Stephen Lawrence murder.

It is also the subject of an independent inquiry into aspects of alleged racism.

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