ALLEGATIONS that a secret police file was opened to collate evidence against a fingerprint expert were made at an industrial tribunal yesterday.

Civilian fingerprint expert Gail Hunter is claiming she was unfairly dismissed from her post as a team leader by Durham Constabulary.

Details of a secret file containing information about Miss Hunter, of Third Street, Leadgate, near Consett, emerged during the tribunal in Newcastle yesterday.

Miss Hunter, 33, claimed she was victimised for whistle-blowing about sloppy working practices and has also made previous allegations of sexual harassment and bullying.

She admitted she once falsified a document relating to fingerprints and was sacked. She told the tribunal that after she was reinstated following a successful appeal to a Police Authority disciplinary committee she was eased out of her position as a team leader of a fingerprint team.

She decided to go to a tribunal after her former job was advertised as an open vacancy while she was working in a lesser role as an administration clerk.

At yesterday's tribunal, Miss Hunter was in tears as she told of her surprise that a file noting her activities, which included her applications for jobs elsewhere, was being kept. She had only learned of the file in the days before the tribunal opened.

Colin Bourne, for Durham Police, said it was made clear to Miss Hunter that the force did not wish her to work with fingerprints at an early stage after her reinstatement. Mr Bourne explained that the Crown Prosecution Service and police were worried that evidence supplied by Miss Hunter would not be valid in court.

Miss Hunter worked as team leader for the Cleveland fingerprint team before her initial dismissal and briefly worked with the County Durham fingerprint team before being moved to her current job as a filing clerk in Consett.

The case continues today.