A female trainee car sales executive at the Sevenoaks branch of Beadles has been awarded nearly £180,000 by an industrial tribunal.

A Kent employment tribunal heard that Angelica Graham worked at the dealership for just one week during June 2001 during which time a salesman at the Beadles site subjected her to offensive harassment designed to intimidate her. The tribunal accepted evidence she had suffered post traumatic stress disorder as a result.

The salesman in question will have to pay £7,000 of the award.

Lawyers for Graham said the company had no written policy on sex discrimination or sexual harassment. Neither did it provide training, guidance or advice to employees about sexual harassment.