A WORKER at pharmaceutical firm Glaxo SmithKline has won his case for sexual discrimination.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took the company to an industrial tribunal over claims that he was the victim of sexual harassment at its plant in Barnard Castle, County Durham.

He argued that his claims had been ignored because he was a man. He also felt he had been unfairly dismissed.

After an exhaustive case that took ten days over two years, the tribunal panel at Newcastle agreed with him.

Those who gave evidence at the hearing included Glaxo SmithKline's vice-president, John Box, who flew in from Puerto Rico.

The man had been given a final written warning after a female worker claimed he had harassed her.

The man told his bosses that he was the one who had been sexually harassed, but he said that they refused to listen.

The tribunal agreed that the firm had failed to protect him against the stigma of false rumours.

As a consequence, he had suffered victimisation and had a mental breakdown.

A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKline declined to comment.

A remedy hearing will be held at a later date.