In-house team faces race discrimination charge

Enterprise Oil's legal department will be in the dock for a ten-day tribunal hearing on 26 June, to defend itself against a charge of racism by a former legal secretary.The oil company has drafted in a silk from the former chambers of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, and a law firm to defend the action, while secretary Annette Fox is representing herself.

An Enterprise Oil spokesman said the company intends to 'vigorously defend' itself against the allegations.

Adrian Lynch QC of 11 Kings Bench Walk and Robert Dillarstone of Peterborough law firm Greenwoods are representing the oil company.Ms Fox, who is of Singaporean origin, worked for three years as a secretary in the in-house legal department.

She alleges that during that time she was openly and publicly taunted and called racist names such as 'slant-eyed devil' by one of the other staff members.

Ms Fox said: 'The head of the legal department was aware of this and did nothing.'She is also alleging that members of the legal department used other racial terms such as 'pakis' and 'wogs'.

Ms Fox said: 'When I first joined it was on a probationary basis so I didn't make any fuss.

After three years, I had enough skills so I made a stand.' She brought an internal complaint about the alleged comments and one staff member was given 12 months verbal warning but did not agree to an unconditional apology.

Ms Fox is also making a claim for victimisation against another solicitor for actions in relation to the internal grievance allegation.

Anne Mizzi