A senior policeman from Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary has said the force will determine if lessons can be learned after a lesbian PC won a sex discrimination case.

On Monday, PC Tracey West won £10,000 in compensation after she suffered sustained homophobic abuse by Sergeant Michael Service in 2007.

Following a hearing in Glasgow, Sgt Service was ordered to pay PC West £7500 while her former employers were forced to pay £2500.

The case heard Ms West was regularly taunted by Sgt Service, who claimed gay officers were "p**fs and freaks". Sgt Service also made a jibe that her sexuality was an "illness" and spoke about her civil partnership, asking who would "wear the trousers" in the relationship.

The mother-of-two has since emigrated to Australia, while Sgt Service was forced to resign in April 2008 as a result of the complaint against him. The hearing heard Sgt Service had served in the force for 20 years.

On Tuesday, Chief Superintendent Gary Small, Head of Operations for Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, said in a statement: "We acknowledge the determination of the tribunal and we will review the contents and decide what action we need to take.

"This has been a very difficult issue for all parties involved and in Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary we value all our staff and take our commitment to them very seriously indeed.

Chief Superintendent Small concluded: "We are dedicated to ensuring that no one is discriminated against or prejudiced in any way. As such any learning that we can take from this matter to further support our staff will be acted upon promptly."