A black policewoman is seeking £47,000 in damages against London’s Metropolitan Police after being discriminated against for her race and sex, a compensation hearing heard yesterday.

Firearms officer Carol Howard, 35, was “singled out and targeted” for almost a year while serving in the diplomatic protection group of the Metropolitan Police Service, an employment tribunal ruled last month.

Representing Ms Howard, barrister Schona Jolly said that the damages claim includes £30,000 for personal injury as well as aggravated damages for an attempted cover-up of evidence by the Met.

The Central London Employment Tribunal was urged to recommend an independent external review into the Met’s internal processes and policies regarding discrimination claims.

During the tribunal it was uncovered that Scotland Yard had deleted references to discrimination from an internal report into the officer of 13 years to avoid problems at a potential employment tribunal.