A SENIOR police officer feared a highly trained colleague, who suspected he was taken off bodyguard duties because he is Asian, could seek revenge with a gun.

Pc Nadeem Saddique, who protected Mr Blair when he was still Prime Minister, guarded a Home Secretary and has acted as a protection driver for members of the royal family, is pursuing a claim for racial discrimination against Cleveland Police.

The employment tribunal heard that an employee, referred to as Sergeant ‘A’ , expressed concerns in internal force communications about the claimant’s mental health after he lodged an official grievance.

Sergeant A said: “He has submitted a pack of lies about us all, what will he do now? He must be considered dangerous and unpredictable. My wife is concerned about him and fears he might turn up on the doorstep. He could still access a firearm if he was very determined.”

And Inspector Stephenson, Inspector Robson and Sgt ‘A’ shared their worries about Pc Saddique at a meeting, said Joanne Woodward representing the claimant.

“They expressed concerns about their personal safety relating to their ‘armed, aggrieved and deluded’ colleague. There were concerns about him remaining as an authorised firearms officer (AFO) due to a combination of his training record and his mental state.”

The tribunal also heard from Sgt Duncan Charlesworth who denied confiding in him at a gym in 2008 or 2009 that Inspector Robson told another officer referred to as Sgt A: "I'll get that black c*** out of firearms watch."

Sgt A apparently agreed and allegedly replied: "Who does he think he is, he is just a P**i."

PC Saddique told the hearing last week, through his statement, that Sgt Charlesworth allegedly overheard the comments during a night out in the Black Bull, Yarm, Teesside. But Sgt Charlesworth refuted the claim.

As the first mixed-race Chief Firearms Instructor in the UK, Sgt Charlesworth stressed that he had never encountered racism at either Durham Constabulary or Cleveland Police.

He also denied that his wife, Joanne Charlesworth, had filmed PC Saddique on her mobile phone at David Lloyd gym in Stockton while he was on sick leave following a back injury. Sgt Charlesworth said they had offered to have the device examined by the force's professional standards department to prove their innocence, but it was declined.

Miss Woodward informed a bemused Sgt Charlesworth that he himself had been subject to an internal probe which he knew nothing about.

Sgt Charlesworth said: "Without meaning to sound corny, I have rights as well and I feel there's been a lot going on in the background without my knowledge and that should not be allowed to happen. I will be taking it up with Cleveland Police once this is over."

Cleveland Police denies the claims of racial discrimination. The case continues.