Prison officer 'too pretty for job'

A former prison officer is seeking compensation from the Government after claiming she was "bullied" from her post because of her attractive appearance, a tribunal has heard.

Amitjo Kajla is seeking a ruling for constructive unfair dismissal after leaving her job at Brinsford Prison, West Midlands, in April last year.

The 22-year-old claims the Prison Service effectively sacked her from Brinsford, a male juvenile and young offenders' institute, after a string of incidents forced her to resign.

It was suggested that Miss Kajla dressed provocatively on the prison site and that inmates would "definitely" have been able to see what she was wearing through slats in the cell doors.

Giving evidence on Wednesday, Miss Kajla's former colleague Lee Hastings said she had been "conditioned" by inmates, many of whom knew her personal address.

Mr Hastings told the hearing in Birmingham: "I heard that her personal address and the area in which she lived was, shall we say, common knowledge amongst the inmates."

But Stephen Roberts, representing Miss Kajla, said she had been the victim of bullying.

Mr Roberts said in one incident Mr Hastings deliberately locked gates behind him when he knew Miss Kajla was following, and that he shouted "aggressively" when Miss Kajla went to open a double cell door, even though she was instructed to do so by a senior prison officer.

Mr Roberts said that Mr Hastings had been "annoyed" that Miss Kajla made a complaint claiming he bullied her at work.

Mr Hastings said he "did not intend to cause her upset or distress" but that he was "concerned that Miss Kajla's repeated actions were a breach to security within the prison service". The case continues.

(She is so pretty)

Cat got your tongue? What happened to a male lion when he angered his jealous mate

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
And when that woman also happens to be a lioness, the male who scorned her should really keep out of the way.
Unfortunately for him, this male lion got a little to close to his angry mate - and suffered the consequences.

Don't you dare: The lioness catches the lion by his tongue as he tries to make his way to visit a neighbouring lioness in Botswana

You can almost see the hairs of the male's mane being blown back as the lioness roars her displeasure at him

Wildlife photographer Lee Whittam was observing lions last December in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, when he captured the incredible moment the lioness clawed the lion's tongue.
She had been whipping into a jealous rage after a neighbouring in-season lioness called to the lion, and was trying to stop him from crossing over to her.
But the male shook off her desperate attempts, crossing a channel of water to find the other female that was calling him.

For a brief moment, the male almost appears contrite - but he quickly got over that, succeeding in his efforts to reach the other female

Mr Whittam said an attack of this ferocity was unusual.
'I haven't personally seen such a vicious attack by a lioness in order to try and stop a male accessing another female,' he said.
'Usually such intensity is reserved for protecting her cubs from a particular male.'
Described as 'the jewel of the Kalahari', the Okavango Delta is a widely considered one of Africa's best safari destinations.
Encompassing deserts, rivers and lakes, the delta is teeming with lions, elephants, hyenas, wild dog, buffalo, hippo and crocodiles to name but a few.

One more time: The lioness's claw can actually be seen ripping at the lion's tongue

'It was clear that the female that called to the male was in season and they started the pre-mating sequence,' Mr Whittam said.
'This is where the female flirts with the male and then repels his advances.
'This can go on for several hours or several days and is basically the way the female tests if the male is really interested in her, and has the stamina to keep up with her and if so she will allow him to mate with her.
'This way she ensures he is fit and healthy which will mean he is genetically a good father.'