A Midland­s law firm has paid a £75,000 out-of-court settlement to a Muslim former employee who claimed she had suffered harassment and religious discrimination from a partner and board member.

Shakespeare Putsman has apologised to Saleca Faisal-Parkar for two emails describing the paralegal as a ‘tent head’ and ‘a flipping nun’. The emails were sent by banking litigation partner and then board member Stephen Jones, to a friend within the firm, but came to Faisal-Parkar’s attention.

Chief executive Paul Wilson said that Jones had resigned from his position as a deputy district judge and been demoted. ‘We paid £75,000 to Mrs Faisal-Parkar as part of our genuine apology for the distress she has suffered. But it’s important to remember there were no findings or admissions of guilt in court.’

Avi Pawar, a solicitor at Nottingham firm Octavian Law who represented Faisal-Parkar, said the case was a warning to others that ‘discrimination cannot, and will not, be tolerated’.