A VETERAN cop told to tone down his “gayness” to win a promotion has been awarded almost £16m compensation, say US reports.

Sergeant Keith Wildhaber said he was overlooked 23 times at the St. Louis County Police Department and then hit with a transfer when he complained.

His captain privately called him “fruity” and told a friend the officer was “way too out there with his gayness and he needed to tone it down” to get a better job, the jury heard.

"It was devastating to hear," Sgt Wildhaber told the court, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

He added that he felt like he'd been "punched in the gut".

“We wanted to send a message,” the jury foreman said of the huge payout awarded after three hours deliberation on Friday.

“If you discriminate, you are going to pay a big price. … You can’t defend the indefensible.”

He added: "The time for leadership changes has come, and change must start at the top."

Wildhaber was awarded $1.9m (£1.5m) in actual damages and $10m (£7.7m) in punitive damages for discrimination.

He also got $999,000 (£750,000) in actual damages and $7m (£5.5m)  in punitive damages for his retaliation claim, according to the paper.

“The county should be ashamed,” Wildhaber’s attorney, Russ Riggan, told the hearing.  “Our community deserves better.”

Riggan told the jury during his closing argument that their decision would have “far-reaching” implications in the fight against workplace discrimination.

County Counselor Beth Orwick told reporters that Missouri county officials “will be exploring all of our legal options” to “do what’s best for the county.”

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