BRITAIN: An Irish investment banker who claimed she was forced out of her job in the City of London after a campaign of harassment and bullying spoke last night of her "delight" after winning a case for unfair dismissal.
Ms Carina Coleman, the only woman in her department and its highest-paid employee, also succeeded in her complaint against the bank for victimisation.
But the 30-year-old, from Navan, Co Meath, lost her case for sexual discrimination and unlawful deduction of wages. She said the four-week hearing and the months leading up to it had caused her financial hardship. Warning others to think carefully before taking the decision to sue a wealthy corporate company she said: "In my case it has been a devastating financial experience, forcing me to sell my house.
"However, ultimately I believe it was a price worth paying to uphold a principle."
Although disappointed not to win on each point of law Ms Coleman, a "highly appreciated" and "well-liked" employee, said the judgment had vindicated her decision to stand up to the bank and a former colleague, who were not named for legal reasons. Throughout the hearing they have been referred to as Mr X and Bank Y.
Speaking yesterday outside the hearing at Woburn Place, in central London, she said: "I'm delighted. I'm naturally slightly disappointed not to have won on every point of law, but it is a great day for me. The fact that the tribunal recognised Mr X's behaviour and has ruled in my favour acknowledges the principle for which I fought."
During the hearing Ms Coleman claimed she was subjected to months of abuse by colleagues who feared she would blow the whistle on unethical deals at the bank.
She claimed she was also excluded from key meetings and cheated out of a £150,000 bonus before she resigned in mid-2001. In the months leading to her decision to quit she said there had been where colleagues had subjected her to comments of a sexual nature.
In one incident a colleague alegedly commented on the size of her breasts and on another she was allegedly described as a "tethered goat", a reference to her being "sexual bait" for male clients. Ms Coleman, who lives in Bayswater, central London, claimed sexual discrimination, unfair dismissal, victimisation and unlawful deduction of wages.
A spokeswoman for the respondents said they were grateful that after four weeks of giving evidence the tribunal had unanimously rejected all of Ms Coleman's sex discrimination complaints. Ms Gillian Howard, of Howard & Howard Solicitors, said: "The respondents won in relation to sexual discrimination and her main bonus claim.
"All claims against Mr X have been unanimously rejected by the tribunal."