the force ended yesterday when he was awarded a year's wages.

Mr. Kevin Hardisty was awarded a sum likely to be in excess of $30,000 from the Bermuda Police Force.

And British-born Mr. Hardisty was yesterday in Bermuda, with his girlfriend Miss Mala Ram, to hear the good news from his lawyer Mr. Kieron Unwin.

"I am just relieved it is all over,'' he said. "It is a great relief. I did not want a piece of anybody, I just wanted justice.'' The 34-year-old former Policeman claimed he had been dumped by the force in 1989 following a life-saving brain operation which left him partly paralysed on one side.

Mr. Hardisty was taken ill after five years in Bermuda. He required an operation to remove a tumour the size of a tennis ball after it had been spotted during a scan at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

When he returned Mr. Hardisty said he was given a written assurance that he would be given a job by the then Commissioner of Police, Mr. Frederick Bean.

Other officers with serious illnesses including epilepsy had been found employment on the force, he said.

But despite the fact that Mr. Hardisty was running and cycling and had the backing of medical experts, Mr. Bean refused to renew his contract because he deemed him unfit for duty.

Mr. Hardisty said: "It was like I had been winded. Like the feeling you get when a member of your family dies.

"I had been promised a job in Bermuda. I had been in the force five years and they told me they would not abandon me. I was absolutely devastated.

"I had no idea what to do at the time. All the guys told me I had to do something about it.'' Mr. Unwin claimed Mr. Hardisty should have been given the benefit of an appointed medical board examination before the renewal of his contract was refused.

He said the correct procedure was not followed, and he was not given six months notice of the termination of his contract.

Mr. Hardisty said he was pleased to get $30,000 despite an original claim for around $100,000. Throughout his four-year fight the Bermuda Government had allowed him legal aid.

"It would not be right to say I would have been satisfied with nothing, but an apology would have been nice.

"I have no ill feelings towards the Police. I enjoyed myself out here and I wanted to return to complete my contract.'' Now he has no wish to return after making a new life in Gretna Green in Scotland and a new job in insurance.

"I want to put all this behind me and go forward. Hopefully I can pay off a few debts with the money.

"This is the only time I have been over here while all this was going on. I am very grateful to Mr. Unwin for taking care of everything out here.'' He will return home over the weekend but in the meantime will take the opportunity to look up old friends.

Mr. Kevin Hardisty.