Actions Against The Police

R.F. was awarded £17,000 compensation for his action against the police compensation claim after being the victim of police misconduct and police assault.

On 26th June 2005 he was arrested in Southport for theft from a shop. Southport police took R.F. to a cell at their station and ordered him to remove his clothing without explanation.

R.F. was naked save for his underpants, confused and frightened. The custody sergeant on duty ensured there were no other officers in the cell before becoming aggressive and verbally abusive to R.F. He then assaulted R.F., punching him with such force that he broke R.F.’s jaw.

R.F. was subsequently taken to hospital, where his jaw was operated on under general anaesthetic, and he remained as an in-patient for 3 days.

He instructed David Phillips and Partners solicitors to pursue an action against the police claim for police assault and police misconduct.

Merseyside police routinely destroy all CCTV evidence from their stations every 30 days.  We immediately secured this vital evidence before then.

The CCTV recording revealed the shocking extent of verbal and physical abuse that R.F. endured. The behaviour of the custody sergeant was, in the opinion of David Phillips and Partners solicitors, degrading, gratuitous and unsavoury.

We had no hesitation in pursuing R.F.’s claim as the innocent victim of police misconduct and a terrible police assault. The claim was filed, but denied by CCMP on the grounds that the custody sergeant had acted in self defence. This was confirmed in court papers, but shortly before trial David Phillips and Partners solicitors secured an out of court settlement of £17,000 plus full legal costs for R.F.