THE woman at the centre of sex and race discrimination claims against Blackburn with Darwen Council revealed today she had been offered a £15,000 settlement if she did not tell anyone about the case.

But she also admitted to an employment tribunal that, despite listing a catalogue of incidents, she had forgotten to complain when a colleague put his hand in the pocket of her jeans and commented that she was wearing no underwear.

And she also admitted to going on a staff trip to a transvestite nightclub, attending a colleague's Anne Summers party and having a phalic-shaped keyring on her desk.

The Muslim council employee, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told the tribunal in Leeds about the offer from council bosses after a day of cross-examination about her allegations.

But she said she had wanted to have a chance to have her case heard and had turned down the offer and gagging clause which she had been asked to sign.

Elizabeth Andrews, representing the council, said: "It was an economic offer. With a three week hearing and people out of the office this is expensive for the council."

She said the proposed settlement did not mean the council accepted liability. She added: "It was a without prejudice offer."

During a day on the witness stand, the Muslim council employee was asked about her complaints to council managers and why she had initially refused to make her complaints formal or identify those she felt were racially and sexually harassing her.

She said: "Because I was scared. I had six months left to the end of my contract and I did not want to lose my job."

But she was questioned closely about her part in social activities with other office staff, including an outing to the Blackpool transvestite club Funny Girls where a sexual assault is alleged to have taken place.

The woman said one of the council officers, who cannot be named following an order by the tribunal chairman John Hepworth, is said to have put a hand in the back pocket of her jeans and commented she was wearing no underwear.

Mrs Andrews said: "This is one of the worst. How come you forgot to mention one of the worst incidents?"

The woman answered: "As far as I am concerned all the incidents are equally bad. There was a catalogue of incidents. It takes a super-human-being to remember everything that happened day in, day out, and it's unfair to expect me to remember everything in one go." Her difficulties at home were also questioned, including financial problems amounting to £6,000, but she said: "That was not as troubling as what was happening in the workplace."

She was also questioned about attending an Anne Summers party at the home of one of her colleagues and having a plastic phalic-shaped keyring on her desk, which she said was then vandalised by some of her co-workers.

Mrs Andrews said the woman's own language in the office had been offensive and she regularly swore. She added: "You are complaining about the 'hell' you have been through and suffered, yet your own behaviour has been far from laudable.

"We have you going to an Anne Summers party and a transvestite nightclub and putting a phallic object on your desk." The woman said: "I may have gone out with people from the office in order to fit in with them, but that gives no one the right to call me a bitch or Paki."

Mrs Andrews said: "Your first complaint about racism was made following a critical report on your progress and a remark that managers would not have you on their section. To what extent was this a pre-emptive strike? Was it not an attempt to prevent them criticising you?"

The complainant replied: "I was quite prepared to accept constructive criticism." She said her appraisal had been unfair and she had insisted on it being repeated in a similar manner to other trainees.

Cross examination of the woman was continuing today. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2