A GWENT woman who was subjected to five years of racial harassment by a colleague at a Newport police station today tells the Argus about her ordeal.

Noellar Huggins, aged 34, a courts clerk in an office of the criminal justice de-partment at Newport Central Station, yesterday won her tribunal against Gwent Police and her supervisor Ken Leverson.

Ms Huggins accused her employers of racial harassment over a five year period from 1994 to 1999. And after a five-day hearing in Cardiff, tribunal chairman, Mr John Thomas, ruled in favour of Ms Huggins, and found that she had suffered unlawful discrimination contrary to the 1964 Racial Discrimination Act.

Today Noellar Huggins talks about how she used to cry at work, how she felt "belittled" by Leverson, her feelings towards him and Gwent Police, and how her Catholic faith gave her the strength during her ordeal.

Ms Huggins said: "A lot of people have said that I was brave or courageous standing up to the police, but I didn't feel that. I just couldn't handle it anymore, I had to do something.

"I feel angry towards Gwent Police and I was angry at the way he treated me." Now her union and the Gwent Black Police Association are calling for the robust enforcement of anti-discriminatory practices in the wake of her case. And John Griffiths, National Assembly for Wales member for Newport East, said he will be contacting Gwent Police about his concerns following the decision of the tribunal.

During her five years of racial harassment, the tribunal heard that Mr Leverson referred to Ms Huggins as a "piccaninny", and described her as a jolly "Floella Ben-jamin" type.

He was also accused of using the work "nigger" in her presence and was reprimanded by a chief inspector on one occasion for "mimicking a monkey" after a white colleague had returned from holiday in Barbados.

Tribunal chairman, Mr Thomas, also attacked some of the employees who gave evidence during the hearing, accusing them of "a blanket approach".

Mr Thomas said: "There are a number of individuals who have not opened their hearts to this tribunal. The bullet must be bitten and if there was an opportunity for the second respondent (Mr Leverson) and his witnesses to get their heads together, whether they did or not they certainly had the opportunity."

Referring to his behaviour towards Noellar Huggins, Mr Thomas said: "This is the kind of behaviour that he indulged in. Not only because of his view of the applicant, Ms Huggins being the only black person in the office, but because this is what his view of what robust camaraderie would be."

Yesterday the Argus repeatedly tried to contact Ken Leverson, but he was unavailable for comment.

GWENT Police solicitor Alan Williams, who unsuccessfully defended the force at the employment tribunal, said: "We can't give a knee-jerk reaction. We have to give a considered reply."

Asked if Gwent Police would change its race-relations policies and practices, Mr Williams said: "The remedies in this case have yet to be discussed with the applicant.Long-term changes will need to be discussed."

He referred to the criminal investigation into Ms Huggins' allegations of racial harassment, which was carried out by the force before the tribunal began. He said: "The criminal case was thoroughly conducted and papers given to the Crown Prosecution Service who decided there was insufficient evidence to proceed."