Det Con Kevin Maxwell, who serves in the Metropolitan Police’s counter terrorism command, won his case of racial and sexual orientation discrimination at Reading Employment Tribunal.

The tribunal heard that Maxwell was working at Heathrow Airport when he was subjected to racist and homophobic comments from other officers and seniors during training sessions.

Maxwell was also targeted by his line managers, the tribunal heard. The discrimination caused him to take time off sick as a result of depression.

The tribunal also found that, in July 2010, an officer in the Metropolitan Police deliberately leaked a “distorted account” of the details of his case to the Sun newspaper.

The Metropolitan police was heavily criticised by the judge at the employment tribunal for failing to train officers to deal appropriately with ethnic minorities.

Among incidents that contributed to the discrimination was an occasion on which Maxwell had been at a presentation during which reference was made to a photograph of a man in a fairground surrounded by children and that he was “as gay as a gay in a gay tea shop”.

Solicitor Simon Cuthbert, who represented Maxwell, said: “Such alleged practices and behaviour have no place in a modern police service.

“This welcome judgment represents a positive step in rooting out any remaining prejudice in the force.”

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “We are disappointed at the tribunal’s findings.”

Picture: Getty