Muslim street warden wins £42,000 after 'Saddam' race jibes

The father-of-three was bullied by workmates at Chubb Security who branded him a 'madman who believes in God' and laughed at him when he fasted during Ramadan.

Mr Rasheed, originally from Yemen, was told by a colleague shortly after British hostage Ken Bigley was decapitated in Iraq: 'I hope they nuke you Iraqis now'.

He said he was once told not to clean the spray-painted word 'n****r' from the side of Selfridges because it was 'not offensive'.

Mr Rasheed, of St John's Wood, North London, said he was the subject of a bullying campaign by line manager Mike Edwards and colleagues Anne Marie Robinson and Carol Wheeler, who are mother and daughter.

He has now been awarded £42,500 by an employment tribunal in Kingsway after the hearing found he had been the subject of 'racial and religious discrimination'.

He said yesterday: 'From the moment I stepped in the office I could fell the tension against me. I have lived this country since I was a child but I was made to feel like a total outsider.

'I wanted to use my skills to help the people of London but my life was made very difficult.

'When I complained to my bosses they turned a blind eye. Racism is rife throughout the whole company.'

Mr Rasheed, who is fluent in five languages, worked as a street warden patrolling the streets of the West End looking out for anti-social behaviour.

He was employed by Chubb, who was contracted out by the New West End Company, a partnership of different organisations including Ken Livingstone's Greater London Authority and Westminster City Council.

He resigned in November 2004 after four years with the firm because he could no longer cope the with abuse.

Mr Rasheed believes there was a campaign to get rid of all Indian and African employees at the firm after four of ethnic-minority colleagues were dismissed in a single year.

Chubb Security has been ordered to pay £10,000 court costs, although no staff have been dismissed over the hearing.

Spokesman Jackie Gregory said: 'We recognise we had a problem, regret what has occurred, and have taken steps to address it.

'This includes providing staff with diversity training and one-to-one training on a new Code of Ethics with an emphasis on dignity and respect to all colleagues.

'We have implemented a new local management regime, and appointed a business practice officer with a dedicated helpline for our employees to call if they have any concerns about their working environment.'