A FEMALE rail worker has been awarded almost a quarter of a million pounds in compensation after winning a sex discrimination case against an industry giant.

Laetitia Booth, 37, from Clifton, York, was a mechanical engineer with Network Rail who had worked in the rail industry for 14 years, when she was overlooked for a post in favour of a man with just 18 months experience.

She won an employment tribunal against the rail maintenance firm for constructive dismissal and sex discrimination - and has now been awarded more than £222,000.

Network Rail told the Evening Press it was considering an appeal against the amount of compensation.

Ms Booth, who said she was put on anti-depressants and suffered acute stress after being effectively "demoted", is now looking for work outside the industry.

"I thought the rest of my career was going to be in the railways, but obviously that is not possible now as Network Rail are the only relevant employer," she said.

"Through no fault of my own I now have to completely reassess my working life, but I do hope to be able to transfer my skills and experience to another industry, possibly manufacturing or civil engineering."

Employment law specialist Jayne Phillips, of Morrish & Co, which represented Ms Booth, said: "We are delighted to have won. Laetitia was a qualified, experienced employee and certainly deserved better treatment.

"The bulk of the award was for the loss of entitlement to a final salary pension scheme (67 per cent) and lost earnings (20 per cent). This sends an important message to employers that they need to treat all employees fairly."

Ms Booth applied for a managerial job following Network Rail's decision to take maintenance schemes back in-house from Jarvis Rail in the aftermath of the Potters Bar rail crash in May, 2002.

But someone else was appointed to the post - a man with just 18 months experience compared with her 14 years, which included significantly more management experience. She then had to report to him, after being appointed to a lower position during the reorganisation.

Ms Booth then resigned, believing she had been discriminated against.

She was backed by her union, the TSSA. Its general secretary, Gerry Doherty, said: "Ms Booth, who had extensive management experience on the railways, was more than willing to accommodate her employer in senior roles during Network Rail's reorganisation. But instead of being rewarded, she was demoted.

"Network Rail had a big job to do in taking maintenance work back from numerous engineering companies, but that is no excuse for trampling over workers' employment rights."

A Network Rail spokeswoman said: "We are pleased to note that no finding was made of any intentional discrimination by Network Rail or any of its managers. We are considering an appeal against the amount of compensation awarded for lost pension entitlement."

Updated: 09:50 Wednesday, December 21, 2005