A DECISION not to give an Oxford University academic a reference was “highly surprising”, an employment tribunal was told today.

Dr Cecile Deer, pictured, has launched a claim of victimisation by sexual discrimination against Professor Geoffrey Walford and the university. They deny the claims.

The 41-year-old mother-of-three, from Cumnor, had applied for a job at Merton College in December 2008 and asked Prof Walford, her former doctorate supervisor, for a reference.

Initially he said he would be happy to do so, but in a second email, sent some hours later, he refused.

Dr Deer, of Cumnor, claims that Prof Walford, who has since retired, refused to give the reference after he spoke to a colleague or researched a previous discrimination case in 2008.

That case had led to her receiving an out-of-court settlement from the university over her exclusion from a staff women’s football team.

Yesterday, she told the tribunal: “I was devastated by his letter and his behaviour towards me. He was either got at by others within the university or formed his own adverse view.”

She added: “There were signs that my card had been marked somehow.”

Yesterday, Dr Carol Clark, the first woman fellow at a men’s college in Oxford University’s history, told the tribunal in Reading that she could not understand Prof Walford's response to the request for a reference.

The retired modern languages expert said the choice of words used by Prof Walford in his reply to Dr Deer was unusual, and added: “I find it highly surprising that a fellow academic would effectively close the door on further help, because he felt unsure on certain points of her application.”

Giving evidence, Prof Walford denied any wrongdoing.

With his voice faltering, he said: “I don’t for a moment believe that Dr Deer’s career should have been affected by whether or not she took a case against the university.”

Asked if he would have knowledge of Dr Deer’s previous case involving the university making him biased against her, he said: “Not really. I heard it involved football and as soon as that word is mentioned, my mind glazes over.”

The hearing continues.