A NORTH Yorkshire policewoman was left inconsolable after training sessions where she was bullied, belittled and humiliated by senior colleagues, a tribunal heard today.

The former firearms officer, identified as Miss M for security reasons, would break down in tears following mistreatment at the hands of superiors.

Her partner, a serving policeman, said on one occasion she was compelled to draw back as her instructor produced a video of a monkey performing a sex act.

Miss M is now suing North Yorkshire Police for sexual discrimination.

The tribunal heard how she was singled out by staff and, at the end of one recruitment day, was asked if she wanted "a pink gun".

At another point, she was left concerned and upset by a text message from a firearms instructor which allegedly stated: "I had a dream about you last night. Yes, it was one of those dreams."

The officer, who cannot be named, later insisted the message had been destined for someone else, her partner said in a statement submitted to the tribunal.

In it, he described how he observed changes in Miss M's demeanour which coincided with her participation on training courses.

"M would be down before the training week and during it, would come home in tears because of the way she had been treated," he said.

"She told me about the way she was constantly singled out, bullied, accused of having an affair with another course member and generally belittled and humiliated in front of classmates by training staff.

"I could not believe that the behaviour M was telling me about could actually exist in this day and age but I have no doubt that this behaviour was taking place.

M was inconsolable."

The officer, 48, a member of the same force who has been commended for bravery, said Miss M would mark her calendar with an image of a sad face on the days which were set aside for firearms instruction.

And he said the policewoman, who was highly regarded by colleagues, often rejected suggestions that she should attend courses to further her career because she knew the training was in house.

"I was absolutely disgusted to hear from M that one of the trainers had been showing a video on his phone to other classmates," he said.

"The video showed a monkey masturbating and ejaculating.

"M told me that she had remained apart from the group watching as she had no desire to be involved with that behaviour."

He said his partner was later criticised for not being a willing part of the class.

Miss M was trained as a firearms officer but returned to being a policewoman after failing a training course.

She claims she was not offered the chance to be reassessed, as was the case for some male colleagues.

She also claims she was told that female officers did not have loud enough voices to take part in operations, and that in one training exercise she was left humiliated when she was led to a cabinet which contained pornographic magazines.

North Yorkshire Police denies discrimination.

The hearing, at the Central London Employment Tribunal, continues next week.