Unlawful Arrests

As a law abiding man of over forty years, never knowingly have I ever caused harm or loss to another living soul, I never ever imagined that I would find myself being arrested, never in my wildest nightmares.

So it came as a bit of a shock when it actually happened. What was even more shocking, was the fact that even though I'd done nothing wrong, illegal or unlawful, the Police, the very people who I'd always supported, who should be of the highest integrity, were actually the ones who assaulted me, abused me and then kidnapped me. Behaving like a gang of thugs, a pack of wolves and not at all the way Police Constables, acting under their oath of office should act. Protecting and serving the law abiding amongst us.

On 27th May 2009, I met Sgt Charlie Tennant and PC Mark Gibbs. Unlawfully arrested by Merseyside Police - Part 1 My life was about to be turned upside down.

Having never been arrested before or ever been in any trouble with the Police, I never had any reason to worry when on this night whilst travelling in my car with a friend nearby to my home, we were suddenly surrounded by three police vehicles with Police officers screaming at me to pull over.

In short, I pulled over, got out of my car, stepped onto the pavement and asked PC Mark Gibbs why I had been stopped. PC Gibbs replied that as they were the Police, they could, "stop who the fuck we like, wherever we like, whenever we like". Sgt Charlie Tennant then approached me and demanded to know my name. I told him that I would give my name, once he'd told my why I'd been stopped, he responded by saying, "you're coming", grabbing me and throwing me violently into the Matrix carrier. I was then transported to Kirkby custody suite, where I spent the next five hours. I was released after that with a fixed penalty notice for a "section 5 public order offence of disorderly behaviour".

A forum discussion can be found here

I came away shocked,angry and in total disbelief at what happened to me and was prepared to do everything possible to clear my name and to seek justice. Little did I know then just how criminal these Police Officers actually were, and the great lengths the Police service will go, to defend these types of officers.

I sent a notice to the "courts" stating that I was a lawful man who'd committed no offence. They responded by sending a date to appear at the local magistrates court on Nov 25th 2009.

An FOI request I then made, revealed that there was no "Section 60 Stop and Search order" (the basis the Police had used to stop me) in place on that night, making the stop and search both illegal as well as unlawful.

A complaint to the PSD (Professional Standards Dept) and an investigation by them, despite there being no Section 60 order in place, found "no evidence of any wrongdoing" by Officers.

A complaint to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission)that the Police had behaved unlawfully was upheld, but no action was taken against any of the officers.

Despite my upheld complaint and the fact there was no Section 60 order in place, I was still due to appear in court on 25th Nov 2009.

On the 23rd Nov 2009, I was with my friend again in my car and we'd just travelled from his house to my house. As I walked up my garden path in the darkness, out of the blue a Police Officer grabbed me, shouting, "Section 60!, Section 60!".

I was in total shock, as other officers joined in, and in a matter of seconds I'd been bundled into a cage, handcuffed, in another Police carrier. My friend had also been arrested. I was held again for six hours, my friend was released after an hour.

Unlawfully arrested by Merseyside Police - Part 2

Two days later, I went to the magistrates court, story here whereby due to the fact there was no Section 60 order in place, the CPS offered no further evidence and I walked out.

I was "on bail" then, until after a court appearance in April 2010 in which I "presented" myself, with regard to the second "arrest" all charges where dropped, story here

In June 2010, Merseyside Police admitted liability for unlawful stop, unlawful imprisonment and assault with regard to the first unlawful arrest.

In May 2011, Sgt Charlie Tennant, the Officer who'd kidnapped and assaulted me was sacked.
Merseyside Police Officer sacked after 23 years service

I am currently in the process of suing Merseyside Police for unlawful stop and search, unlawful imprisonment, assault and malicious prosecution.