A POLICE control room operator lost her disability discrimination case against Thames Valley Police today.

Laura Robinson told an employment tribunal in Reading she was sacked from her job answering 999 calls and dispatching police cars because she took sick leave while suffering from what she described as depression.

The tribunal heard Mrs Robinson, 28, tried to carry on working because she feared being dismissed from the “understaffed” control room in Abingdon.

But senior staff dismissed her after she signed off sick repeatedly while suffering from a variety of stress and anxiety-induced illnesses.

Mrs Robinson, who has a three-year-old son, claimed she was forced straight back into answering 999 calls the day after she returned from maternity leave.

She told the tribunal requests to be given “less taxing” tasks while she felt unwell were turned down.

Mrs Robinson, from Didcot, told the tribunal judge she started to suffer from depression after the death of her father in August 2005.

Mrs Robinson moved to the Thames Valley force from Northamptonshire Police following his death and fell pregnant soon afterwards.

She told the judge she suffered from pelvic pain during her pregnancy. She she was offered another role in Kidlington, but was unable to do that role because of her condition. Mrs Robinson said she suffered from exhaustion, dizziness, stomach upsets and several colds following her return to work in March 2007.

She said she felt forced to carry on working because she was afraid of being dismissed and had had run-ins with a control room supervisor.

Marc Robinson, representing his wife at the tribunal, said her part-time work was “high-pressured, had unsociable hours and quite often the role was understaffed”.

Charlotte Ventham, representing Thames Valley Police, argued Mrs Robinson had only been suffering from ordinary job stress and the pressures of being a new mum. She said the claimant only raised depression with her GP, Dr Eveta Southwood, two days after her dismissal on February 15, 2009.

Tribunal chairman Russell Hardwick ruled Mrs Robinson’s claim for disability discrimination could not be taken to a full hearing.

Mrs Robinson is also suing the force for sex discrimination and unfair dismissal.

A hearing is expected to take place in May.