A FORMER soldier’s claim he was racially abused and victimised during his service was dismissed by an employment tribunal.

Belize-born Marlon Clancy, 28, who lives in Malpas, Newport, alleged during a tribunal held in Cardiff in October that he suffered racial discrimination while based in Colchester and Chepstow.

The tribunal held that the Ministry of Defence “did not discriminate against the claimant on racial grounds and did not victimise him contrary to the Race Relations Act 1976.”

Mr Clancy joined the army in 1999 as a private, serving as a chef in the 10th Transport Regiment and 16 Close Support Medical Regiment in Colchester, before joining Yorkshire Battlion at Beachley Barracks, Chepstow.

He claimed he was subjected to bullying by colleagues in the kitchen and was overlooked for courses that could lead to promotion. He was eventually discharged for medical reasons in June 2007.

The tribunal heard Clancy was not eligible for promotion as his ‘”military skills’ needed improvement and not becaused of his race or sexuality.

During the five-day hearing, it was heard that Mr Clancy received psychiatric treatment from community psychiatric nurses during his service after he reported bullying and became depressed. A report from his psychiatrist read to the tribunal said Mr Clancy had dreamed of stabbing people.

In relation to Mr Clancy’s claim of being overlooked for courses, the judgment said: “The claimant can have had no legitimate or realistic expectation that he would be offered, or chosen for, any of these courses or events.

“The reasons for his non-selection are all too obvious and do not permit of any alternative finding that his race, or his previous complaint, played any part.”

Employment judge Stewart Williams held that the claim should be dismissed as the tribunal was “satisfied that no action or omission of the respondent in relation to the claimant was on racial grounds.”