A former senior policeman in the North has been awarded several thousand pounds compensation for discrimination against him when he sought promotion.
Former RUC-chief superintendent James Willis won a Fair Employment Tribunal case against the police authority in Northern Ireland and former chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan in June 2001.
The tribunal ruled that the police authority had discriminated against the officer in its arrangements to decide who should be offered the position of assistant chief constable in 1998.
The police authority decided to appeal but it was announced today that the appeal had been dropped - after Mr Willis agreed to withdraw a part of his complaint that referred to a third respondent, Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Colin Smith.
In its ruling in 2001, the Tribunal expressed concern at the recruitment arrangements and made recommendations for change.
It was particularly concerned at the involvement of the chief constable in the process of short-listing, at interview and in advising a lay panel.
The decision also found that, by relying upon the chief constable's assessment, the respondents victimised Mr Willis because he had made an earlier complaint under the Fair Employment Act in 1996.
Dame Joan Harbison, chief commissioner of the Equality Commission, welcomed the resolution of the case today.
She said: "It is of great importance in all recruitment procedures that there be transparency in the procedures used and that recruitment panels record the basis for the decisions they take."
Dame Joan said the case also reinforced for all employers the importance of "not treating applicants or employees less favourably because they have raised issues of discrimination in the past".
PA