Mrs Davies-Taheri lost her baby after pregnancy complications

Harriet Davies-Taheri, 32, lost her job at the Sheffield firm Proddow Mackay four weeks after saying she was having a baby, an employment tribunal heard.

Mrs Davies-Taheri said she had to have her baby induced at 23 weeks to save her own life.

Her baby Benjamin was born alive but died on 13 July 2002 as a result of being premature.

The solicitor told the Sheffield tribunal she believed the attitude of the firm led to the complications, which could reoccur if she becomes pregnant again.

This is obviously a wonderful result for Harriet Jay Bhayani, solicitor

Mrs Davies-Taheri, who was a manager in the firm's personal injury department, was referred to as the "golden girl" of the section by one former colleague.

The tribunal was told she was sacked for gross misconduct after making errors in her work.

But she told the panel there had been no previous indications of concern and similar errors made by other staff had not resulted in dismissals.

Tribunal chairman Robert Little said Mrs Davies-Taheri's sex discrimination complaint had succeeded, along with two for unfair dismissal and another for wrongful dismissal.

'Deep regret'

He said financial compensation would be decided at a future hearing.

After the case, her solicitor, Jay Bhayani, said: "This is obviously a wonderful result for Harriet.

"The tribunal found that she was unfairly dismissed because she was pregnant and therefore subject to sex discrimination."

A statement from law firm Proddow Mackay said: "We have never before been found to have unfairly dismissed or discriminated against anyone.