A CATHOLIC civilian worker who won a religious and sexual discrimination case against the Ministry of Defence said she was left humiliated and isolated by "relentless" comments by her British army boss.
Bronagh Murray (51), from Co Down, was targeted over five months in 2017 while she carried out clerical work in Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn.
The mother-of-two said the officer repeatedly referenced her religion and made remarks about her alleged voting preferences in front of army personnel.
"When he came into the room I just dreaded it," she told The Irish News.
"I'd be working away and he'd start to involve me just to humiliate me.
"I remember widening my eyes so I wouldn't cry because that's what he wanted me to do."
Ms Murray will receive more than £500,000 in compensation following the decision of a Fair Employment Tribunal this week.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also accepted liability.
The army captain made remarks including: "I need back up, I have an Irish Catholic girl armed and dangerous, come quick, need help."
He was eventually disciplined and transferred to another military posting.
Ms Murray said the comments, particularly one about her being "a big cougar", had deeply affected her mental health.
"That was the most humiliating comment that you could ever give a woman, especially when she's surrounded by 600 men," she said.
"The thought of him calling me that and laughing about me with others in the officers' mess left me sick.
"The meaning of that was I was a sexual predator."
Ms Murray joined the civil service as a 21-year-old and worked in the Passport Agency before transferring to the Ministry of Defence in 2000.
She was initially based in the now-defunct Ballykinlar Barracks in Co Down until she was transferred to Thiepval in 2015.
Ms Murray said she had never experienced sectarian or sexist comments by army personnel until her ex-boss made his remarks.
"I had always been treated with the utmost respect," she said.
She eventually had to leave her job after the comments caused her health to "break down".
"I told a few close friends but until recently a lot of people didn't know that I worked in the MoD," she said.
She said her former boss had "taken away my career".
"I had an immaculate record," she said.
"I had no intention of retiring."
Ms Murray said she feels "totally vindicated".
"After all this horrible, emotional, stressful time I can now start to recover now and move on with my life."
Ms Murray said she was hugely grateful for the support of her legal team - solicitor Brian Archer and barrister Michael Potter.
"They supported me and were so kind to me," she said.
