A BLACK policewoman from Enfield who claimed she suffered racial and sexual discrimination is to receive a reported £500,000 payout from the Metropolitan police.

Joy Hendricks, 38, of Enfield Road, said one of her colleagues gave her white face paint for Christmas, while another allegedly compared her to murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

She also claimed to have been sexually assaulted.

The pay-out, announced on Thursday, means employment tribunal proceedings will no longer go ahead.

Miss Hendricks was a member of the force's anti-vice Territorial Support Group, between 1989 and 1994 and had been a Met officer since 1987.

She had been on sick leave since March 1999 suffering from stress and was on full pay until April 2000, when her pay was stopped.

In 2001 the Metropolitan Police had challenged whether the employment tribunal case would go ahead. However, the ruling of an Employment Appeal Tribunal was later overturned by the Court of Appeal in Miss Hendrick's favour.

Miss Hendricks was also cleared of attacking a fellow officer in 1998, following a two-day trail at London's Horseferry Magistrates Court.

She had claimed she punched the officer in self defence after he made an offensive comment to her referring to murdered black teenager, Stephen Lawrence, and approached her with a snooker cue.

A Scotland Yard Spokesman said: "Joy Hendricks and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police are pleased to announce they have reached a settlement of her claims for sex and race discrimination.

"The settlement involves the payment of a sum of money to Ms Hendricks, without admission of liability on the part of the Commissioner.

"In light of this settlement, the employment tribunal proceedings will not go ahead."