STRASBOURG The European Court of Human Rights ruled yesterday that Britain violated the rights of a female police chief by bugging her phone at work after she filed a suit alleging sex discrimination.
The nine judges awarded Ms Alison Halford (57), once the highest ranking female police officer in Britain, £10,000 for the violation of her right to a private life. It also awarded her some costs after a six year legal marathon.
The court said the authorities tapped Ms Halford's phone at work when she was Merseyside assistant chief constable, after she filed a lawsuit in 1990 alleging her further promotion was blocked by sex discrimination. The unanimous ruling by the Strasbourg based court, part of the 40 nation Council of Europe, could force Britain to modify its phone tapping rules.
The bugging was "probably with the primary aim of gathering material to assist in the defence of the sex discrimination proceedings against them", the Council of Europe said. Ms Halford had unsuccessfully applied for several jobs as chief constable.