A PRISON officer is set to receive thousands of pounds after suing the Prison service over a hate campaign against her.

Nina Mold, aged 49, successfully took out an action for sexual discrimination after suffering months of victimisation from male colleagues, which she claimed was ignored by management.

During the three-day hearing, the tribunal heard Mrs Mold was subjected to a string of malicious pranks in which someone emptied ashtrays in her kettle, put ink in her shoes and killed off her plants with bleach.

The Manchester tribunal was told Mrs Mold was eventually signed off sick from her position as senior prison officer at Risley jail, in Warrington, in October last year suffering from stress.

Mrs Mold, of Tyldesley, revealed she has won her case after receiving a written judgement. She will find out how much money she wins in a forthcoming hearing.

Speaking from her home, Mrs Mold -- who represented herself during the tribunal last August -- said: "I was convinced all along I would win my case.

"They took my complaint far too lightly and their response was flawed from the start.

"The last year has been a complete nightmare. It put great strain on my marriage and my health but I was never going to let this go."

She added: "This was a victory for equality. I know several more women fighting sex discrimination cases are about to have their cases heard and will take heart from this.

"I have lost faith in prison service management, but I will not walk away. I want to continue in my job and work towards changing the system for the better."

Mrs Mold had worked at HMP Risley since 1997 and had originally joined the prison service in March 1985.

She told the hearing she was happy and successful in her job until last year when prison governor Colin McConnell suddenly removed her from a drug rehabilitation unit at the jail and appointed her senior officer to the jail's Fox Unit which houses 400 inmates.

Last June, several inmates on the Fox Unit were found to have drunk alcoholic lemonade one evening while Mrs Mold was on duty.

She claimed members of staff were aware inmates had been drinking but deliberately failed to inform her.

Mrs Mold said the Governor decided she alone was responsible and should be removed from the wing.

Mrs Mold is now working at HMP Hindley, which is a young offenders' institute. She will return to the tribunal for a remedy hearing next month when the panel will fix an amount for financial compensation.

A spokeswoman for the Prison Service said: "We are aware that the tribunal panel has upheld Mrs Mold's complaint.

"But we can not comment any further as we are awaiting a full explanation of the decision before responding."