An Army nurse is suing the Ministry of Defence for £1.2m, alleging that a “blackface” gesture from a colleague and a “culture of fear” led to his mental health collapse and eventual departure from the forces. Paul Erhahiemen, 43, claims that he suffered depression, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts after experiencing bullying and racist comments during his posting at RAF Brize Norton.Mr Erhahiemen, who is Black and of Nigerian heritage, claims that a colleague used “a hand gesture that meant ‘black or painted face or skin’ when referring to the claimant to other staff members instead of using his name”. The nurse had a distinguished career, including four years guarding HM Queen Elizabeth II with the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, before moving to the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps.He was posted to RAF Brize Norton in September 2020, but he claims the hostile environment led to his “premature voluntary release” in November 2021. Although reinstated in 2023, he was medically discharged in May 2025 due to ongoing mental health issues.The MoD is defending the £1.2m claim, filed at the High Court in London, insisting that Mr Erhahiemen must prove the racist incidents occurred and that it took all reasonable steps to protect his mental health.Mr Erhahiemen was posted to RAF Brize Norton in 2020 (PA)His barrister, Tara-Lynn Poole, says he slumped into depression having “experienced a culture of fear” at the RAF base, “where discrimination, bullying, harassment, inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour was normalised”.“Racist comments were made about the claimant,” she claims, which caused him “to feel humiliated, degraded, isolated and ostracised, and intimidated on account of his skin colour and/or race”.Those included a colleague having “used a hand gesture that meant ‘black or painted face or skin’ when referring to the claimant to other staff members instead of using his name”, she said.“Between September 2020 and April 2021, the claimant felt bullied and harassed, and discriminated against on account of his race and/or because he challenged unwanted behaviour,” she said, adding that he “was subjected to daily micro-aggressions”.“Before the bullying and harassment, he was an avid polo player and flew planes,” she said. “He stopped these activities and no longer receives any pleasure from them. He has a continuous low mood. He is now isolated and withdrawn and is reluctant to socialise.“The claimant had suicidal thoughts, became paranoid of people’s intentions, lost confidence and experienced low self-esteem. He was constantly anxious, very angry and tearful.“The claimant, by reason of his injuries, was required to give up a career in the Armed Forces which he enjoyed, and which gave him satisfaction and status.”Dominic Ruck Keene, for the MoD, in the defence to the claim said the allegations regarding the racist gesture were “not admitted and the claimant is put to strict proof thereof”.He said the MoD admit that if Mr Erhahiemen's former colleague is found to have “committed acts motivated solely by the claimant’s ethnic background” it would constitute harassment for which the MoD would be liable.But he added: “It is denied that prior to January 2021 there was any requirement to assess the risk of the claimant suffering harm from bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation and/or his mental health declining.“Any such risk was appropriately assessed and managed thereafter.“The defendant avers that prior to September 2020 the claimant had a prior history of mental illness.“All matters as to causation, injury or loss, including the claimant’s putative military career, are in dispute, save as consistent with the contemporaneous medical records.“The claimant is put to strict proof that he has stopped playing polo.”The case reached court last month for a costs hearing in front of Deputy Master Skinner, who heard that Mr Erhahiemen, now living in New Zealand, is bringing a £1.2m-plus claim.The judge directed that there be a 10-day trial at a future date, saying it was a “complex” case.