The British government has admitted breaching the human rights of Northern Ireland police officers seeking early retirement, it was claimed tonight.
A leaked report into severance packages offered to men and women hoping to quit the force found some did not have equal access to pay-offs.
The study said: "There is a differential impact on persons of different ages which results in younger officers being excluded from receiving a benefit to which older officers are entitled."
Furious officers are now planning a legal fight in a bid to ensure equality of opportunity under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act.
One said: "We are not prepared to sit back and watch this happen.
"The Northern Ireland Office has now admitted they are in breach of Section 75."
Under the Patten blueprint for overhauling the old Royal Ulster Constabulary hundreds of officers have been able to take severance packages and quit the force.
But the age plus service points system has blocked others despite joining the police before many of those now taking retirement.
Around 100 officers have each paid £100 to fund the legal costs of going to the High Court.
Some veterans who have been blocked from taking early retirement because they joined too young have even returned service medals in disgust.
"It shows you the depth of feeling when senior officers have handed back their gongs and 100 of us are willing to pay for a legal challenge," one said.
Section 75 of the Act requires public authorities to promote equal opportunity regardless of religion, political opinion, race, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, disabilities or whether people have dependants.
The review of the Voluntary Severance Scheme (VSS), commissioned by the NIO and carried out by business consultants Deloitte & Touche, only found problems with the age guideline.
It said: "To the extent that younger officers with comparable service are not in as advantageous a position as older colleagues this could be construed to be a differential impact within the meaning of Section 75."
But the report concluded that benefits payable under the VSS are in line with Patten's plan to encourage older officers to leave.
"This assessment therefore concludes that under Section 75, the differential impact on younger people is a justifiable one and that there is no requirement to amend the policy for paying benefits under the Voluntary Support Scheme."
A Northern Ireland Office spokesman tonight confirmed the equality assessment had been completed.
He added: "The department are considering the assessment in detail which may then be used as the basis for completing an equality impact assessment under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act."
PA