London - A lesbian teacher forced out of her job by a "campaign of harassment" from her pupils cannot use the Sex Discrimination Act to claim compensation, Ms Cherie Booth QC told the Court of Appeal yesterday. Ms Booth said she was not condoning harassment on the basis of sex orientation. Representing the Portsmouth secondary school opposing Ms Shirley Pearce's claim, Ms Booth, the Prime Minister's wife, said: "As a result of the actions of pupils, this appellant suffered in the course of her employment - but that is not what this case is about." Employment tribunals have ruled that although Ms Pearce did suffer abuse when children called her "lezzie" and "nasty dyke", it was not because she was a woman and was therefore not covered by the Sex Discrimination Act.