A police officer has been awarded more than £27,000 in damages and compensation by an employment tribunal after he was subjected to racial discrimination by Kent Police.

PC Angus Bowler served on the force for more than 25 years, after starting as a Territorial Support Group officer during the IRA bombing campaign in the early 1990s.

More recently he had been serving on the frontline against terrorism and illegal immigration at the Channel Tunnel border at Coquelles in France where he had moved with his family.

His superiors had noted his “excellent” attitude towards his work in regular appraisals, and he had hoped to advance his career with promotion.

But he was overlooked for a more senior post, and when he later raised grievances about alleged racist bullying and discrimination by colleagues, that the top brass failed to investigate.

His case against Kent Police was heard before an employment tribunal in Ashford, where it was revealed that once the officer had raised his grievance, his performance marks were lowered and he was subjected to even more discriminatory treatment.

PC Bowler was left “astonished and dismayed” after senior officer Det Chief Insp Andy Somerville failed to take his grievance seriously.

DCI Somerville admitted he didn’t understand what he dubbed the “race relations act” which is in fact the Equality Act 2010.

Instead he turned to the Oxford English Dictionary definition of racism to convince himself and others that the actions of Kent Police had not been racist.

Later Kent Police failed to provide PC Bowler with an outcome report and failed to respond to the errors in the report which he had highlighted.

The tribunal found that his colleagues Det Insp Staddon, Det Sgt Wilson and Det Sgt McClean had sent emails to each other leading to further victimisation starting in April 2014.

It left PC Bowler feeling “betrayed” by Det Sgt Wilson, on some days he was unable to get out of his car to enter the office before work, and he suffered sleepless nights, dizzy spells and chest pains, leading to him going off work sick in June 2014.

PC Bowler’s lawyer Mohini Bharania, from Slater and Gordon, said: “He is a commended officer so he found it very shocking to be treated less favourably because of the colour of his skin.

“I think the professionalism of the police at large is beyond doubt, but in any large organisation there can be problems, this case highlights there is still work to be done.”

At the employment tribunal last week PC Bowler was awarded £20,822 in compensation for injury to feelings, £5,165 for aggravated damages, and £1,450 for the cost of bringing the case to tribunal.

In a statement to KentOnline Kent Police said: “While we accept that there are points within the grievance and appeals procedures that could be improved, we do not accept that the officer was treated differently due to his race.

“Kent Police has been granted an appeal against the tribunal’s decision. Having submitted the appeal, we requested that the remedies hearing be adjourned pending the conclusion of the appeals process. However, this was rejected.

“The Chief Constable did send a letter to Mr Bowler apologising for the way in which the matters were dealt with.

"Recommendations submitted by Mr Bowler for improvement to procedures will be considered by the force.

“We now await the result of our appeal.”