A Sikh policeman has been awarded almost £10,000 in damages for racial discrimination after a police force rejected a dozen applications from him to join.

Pc Sangram Singh-Bhacker, 41, who comes from an Indian family in Manchester, had been trying to transfer to the city since 1990.

But despite having served for 16 years with five other forces in England, his applications were repeatedly refused by Greater Manchester Police.

He now works for British Transport Police and has abandoned any hopes of working in Manchester.

A tribunal found GMP guilty of racial discrimination and condemned the force both for its refusal to employ the officer and the way it later sought to impugn his integrity.

Pc Singh-Bhacker was awarded £5,000 for "injury to his feelings", £4,000 in aggravated damages and £400 in travel expenses. The aggravated damages were awarded because of the way GMP had attacked Mr Singh-Bhacker's integrity without any supporting documentation.

A GMP spokesman said: "We regularly accept transfers of officers from other forces if they meet the rigorous standards we require. These officers are drawn from many different communities, including the Asian community.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/