Letter: Alison Halford: courageous stand, ignominious deal

Sir: Alison Halford's stand against the Merseyside police authority and the Home Office on sexual discrimination grounds was very courageous. I had hoped that she would be able to take her case to the final hearing, but can understand her being unable any longer to stand the strain to which she has been subjected since before 1987.

I met her at the Police Staff College, Bramshill, in 1978 and found her very charming and articulate. At the time I was with the Home Office and going through the same kind of hellish experience, taking early retirement at the end of 1982. I did not have the courage of Ms Halford to take the matter to an industrial tribunal, but if I had she might have been spared much of her misery.

I feel sure that she has helped future generations of career women, especially those in the police and at the Home Office, by highlighting the experiences to which she has been subjected.

Yours faithfully,

JANE M. HOGG

Hemel Hempstead,

Hertfordshire

22 July