An employment tribunal has found management at a Scottish college guilty of racially discriminating against its only non-white lecturer.

Dr Mohammed Halim, 41, claimed that he had been twice overlooked for promotion at Moray College in Elgin because of his race.

He told the tribunal that he had not been shortlisted for the posts while other applicants with lesser qualifications were.

The tribunal ruled that managers had racially discriminated against Dr Halim and ordered the college to pay him �14,000 in compensation and pay legal costs of almost �40,000.

This was never about money, it was about a fundamental right

Dr Mohammed Halim

Father-of three Dr Halim, who has a first-class honours degree and a PhD in engineering, started at Moray College in 1996.

He told the tribunal that he had been forced to apply for a �24,000-a-year lecturer post after his management position disappeared in a cost-cutting reorganisation.

Dr Halim also claimed he was further discriminated against when he applied for two jobs advertised internally.

He said his application for the �36,000-a-year post as assistant principal was rejected without interview.

The lecturer also applied to be the college's European development officer, which carried a salary of �32,000.

'Racist for years'

But Dr Halim said that he failed to make a shortlist of one from three candidates even though he is fluent in five languages and had already gained experience placing foreign students into UK universities.

During the tribunal hearing he told the three members of the panel: "The principal, his deputy and assistant are all racist.

"The assistant principal has been a racist for years, that is how he has been treating me.

Moray College was ordered to pay compensation

"You have no idea what it is like as a non-white to go through this procedure in an all-white community."

Mike Melville of the Grampian Race Equality Council, who represented Dr Halim, said the �14,000 tribunal award was the highest for racial discrimination made in Scotland.

"I can confirm that the tribunal has found for Dr Halim on both counts of discrimination on grounds of his race," he said.

"This is the largest award on such grounds, the previous high was �4,900.

"Only 7% of race discrimination cases are successful in the UK, and this decision was arrived at very quickly. To me that speaks volumes."

College complaint

After the decision was delivered Dr Halim said: "I am very glad it is over and that I have been vindicated.

"This was never about money, it was about a fundamental right.

"Right now I am looking forward to getting back to work, and seeing some normality return to our family life. It has all been very stressful to everyone involved."

The college refused to comment on the outcome of the tribunal until its full findings were released.

However, within hours of the ruling notice being released, police arrived at Dr Halim's house acting on a complaint by the college that he had stolen a pile of engineering magazines from the college five years ago.

Nothing was found, and a police spokesman said: "We have spoken to Dr Halim, and will not be taking any action over the complaint from the college."