Woman prison officer wins job case

A prison officer from Wolverhampton who claimed she was forced to quit her job after staff criticised her for being too sexy has won her employment tribunal against her former bosses.

See more pics in our photo gallery below.

Petite Amit Kajla insists she had only ever treated young prisoners in South Staffordshire with respect, after a tribunal ruled that she would not have been criticised if she was not the "young, attractive woman that she is."

The tribunal found the Prison Service guilty of unfair dismissal and age and sex discrimination against the 22-year-old.

It is believed a cash settlement could now be made following the ruling, which also found a colleague had "violated her dignity and created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for her".

The 5ft former officer, of Birmingham Road, spoke of her delight at the ruling.

She said: "I am very happy with the tribunal's decision. All I ever did was try to uphold the prison service's Purpose Statement.

"This clearly states that their duty is to 'look after prisoners with humanity' and I sought to apply that in my work by treating prisoners with respect."

Former prison officer Miss Kajla told an employment tribunal in Birmingham in July that she was targeted within days of starting work at Brinsford young offenders' institution in Featherstone in June 2007.

A senior officer commented about her "inappropriate" appearance which "was drawing unwanted and inappropriate attention from young adults."

At the end of her second week, Miss Kajla told the tribunal she was again spoken to about her appearance by the officer about her "snug-fitting" uniform and her make-up.

The tribunal panel heard prison officer Lee Hastings had shouted at her in front of inmates, leaving her feeling belittled and insulted.

On the same day he demanded to know why she had been sitting with prisoners, branding her a "stupid little girl" who "knew nothing about jailcraft."

The tribunal panel singled out prison officer Mr Hastings and added it was satisfied that his attitude towards her was dictated by her sex and age.

Miss Kajla said: "One officer didn't like my way of working which was counter to the macho approach he favoured. I was seen as a weak woman who could be bullied.

"I am very happy they have condemned Her Majesty's Prison Service for the way they sought to justify the actions of the bully, by suggesting that my approach to work and my appearance was inappropriate and could create a breach in security.

"I would like to thank all my family and friends for their tremendous support during this extremely stressful time."

The tribunal ruling states: "If she was not the young, attractive woman that she is, he would not have treated her in the way he did.

"He engaged in unwanted conduct that had the purpose or effect of violating her dignity or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for her.

"A bully chooses as his victim someone he perceives to be vulnerable – in this case a slightly-built young female.

"The prison service were aware of this, but that the claimant was expected to put up with this type of conduct."

The tribunal had been told that Ms Kajla was the former girlfriend of an inmate doing five years for armed robbery at a separate jail in Shrewsbury.

But Adam Farrer, for the Prison Service, suggested she had resumed her relationship with her boyfriend while at Brinsford and this was why she quit.

The service is studying the findings of the tribunal.

Spokesman Yasser Mehmood said: "We are disappointed by the tribunal's findings.

"The Prison Service takes all allegations of sexual harassment very seriously. We will study the findings carefully."

Brinsford Young Offenders Institution, near Wolverhampton.

Amitjo Kajla, from Wolverhampton, pictured in Birmingham during her employment tribunal case.

Senior officer Lee Hastings (Picture by Caters).

Striking looking - Amit pictured yesterday (Picture by Caters).