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Background

Solicitors at Irvings Law, which has a specialised Actions Against the Police Department, have successfully represented Mr G whom was unlawfully arrested by Police Officers of The Metropolitan Police last year in October 2020.

Mr G decided to go into his local bookies on the way home from a local supermarket store. Whilst inside, a Police Officer of the Metropolitan Police approached Mr G and asked him to leave due to not wearing a mask. Mr G explained that he had left his mask at home but nonetheless compliantly left the bookies. Mr G was unfortunate enough to come across another Officer from the Metropolitan Police outside of the bookies, who proceeded to handcuff Mr G and detain him surprisingly on suspicion of possessing drugs. Mr G was then searched, during which a DIY screwdriver was found upon his person and Mr G was detained for going equipped.  Mr G was then taken to the Police Station where he was subjected to a strip-search, detained for 4 hours and subsequently released with no further action.

Representation

Irvings liaised with Mr G from the moment of his instructions for her to act on his behalf and then assessed the merits of his claim throughout. Seeing great prospects, Irvings immediately offered to act for Mr G on a no win no fee basis and after obtaining evidence from The Metropolitan Police, she submitted a Letter of Claim on the basis that Mr G was unlawfully arrested, handcuffed, searched and detained.

Resolution

In response to the claim, Weightmans LLP (acting on behalf of The Metropolitan Police) decided that rather than responding to mr G’s presented claim, that they wished to settle. Unfortunately, a derisory offer to settle Mr G’s claim was made and so knowing that this offer was too low, Irvings pushed for more compensation resulting in Mr G achieving an award of £4,000 plus payment of his legal fees.

Author: Nick Swales