A receptionist has won a tribunal case against a Bradford car workshop after colleagues left pornographic images on a computer, labelled with her name.

The 37-year-old mum of three was also upset after overhearing mechanics at the car workshop in sexual discussions about her.

The Leeds tribunal upheld her claims of unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and victimisation against the company.

But they also concluded that the receptionist contributed by her actions to the dismissal - and have decided to cut her compensation by 50 per cent.

Compensation will be set at a further hearing.

"We found there was a culture of sexual harassment in the workplace, and this was upsetting to the applicant," the tribunal decision states.

"The applicant complained to the company hotline and her complaint was effectively ignored. The response from the hotline was confused and irrelevant.

"When she complained about harassment by the person chairing her disciplinary hearing, the hearing went on regardless."

The two-day tribunal hearing in May heard that the receptionist had complained about her treatment by phoning a company hotline.

Meanwhile she was hauled into a disciplinary hearing and accused of stealing £100 cash from a customer.

She told how she believed she was victimised after raising complaints about her treatment.

But representatives for the company said bosses were simply carrying out a proper investigation into the missing money.

The tribunal ruled that there was not enough evidence to decide whether the woman was responsible for the missing cash.

But the 14-page ruling explains that by making mistakes over the issuing of an invoice and not filling out correct paperwork, "she failed to satisfactorily establish" her innocence and as a result "contributed by her actions to her dismissal".

The car workshop's parent company has been rapped for allowing the woman's disciplinary hearing to be conducted by a manager about whom she had complained.

This was a clear breach of the company's Equal Opportunities policy.

Nasreen Al-Gafoor of Veronique Marot & Company solicitors said: "I am pleased the employment tribunal has found in favour of my client. She has shown courage in taking on her former employers. A remedy hearing is to take place to decide compensation. This should be a warning to employers that any allegation of harassment, victimisation or sexual discrimination should be taken seriously."

A spokesman for the car workshop said: "We have serious doubts about the tribunal's findings and are considering the possibility of an appeal - we don't feel it would be appropriate to make further comment at this stage."

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