HJA client wins civil liberties claim against the Metropolitan Police
21st April 2011
Hodge Jones & Allen client Terence O’Reilly has won a
civil
liberties legal battle against the Metropolitan
Police and claimed damages for assault and false
imprisonment.
In September 2008, Mr O’Reilly was walking along the street in
Camden when he noticed a stranger lying unconscious on the
pavement. He called an ambulance and put his coat over the
man to keep him warm while help came.
Before the ambulance arrived, some police officers walked past
and started to administer first aid to the injured man.
However, Mr O’Reilly was concerned as they seemed to be pinching
and shaking him violently.
When he raised his concerns, the officers told Mr O’Reilly to
move away and continued to apply what he considered to be very
rough treatment to the unconscious man. Not knowing what else
to do, Mr O’Reilly tried to call emergency services for their
advice on the matter, whereupon the officers shoved
him forcefully across the pavement, causing soft tissue
injuries to his lower back. They then arrested him for
obstructing them while they were carrying out their duties.
He was handcuffed, taken to the local police station, held in cell
overnight and charged with the offence the next day.
The court threw out the charges and, after a long legal battle,
the Metropolitan Police agreed to pay Mr O’Reilly
compensation.
Sasha Barton, solicitor in the Hodge Jones & Allen civil
liberties department, comments: "Mr O’Reilly was acting in a
public spirited way, helping a stranger in distress and then
raising justified concerns about the police’s apparent rough
treatment of him. The police totally mishandled the
situation, using unnecessary force and using their powers of arrest
inappropriately and excessively.
My client was shocked at the way he was treated, and suffered
injuries as a result. He is pleased that the Metropolitan
Police has finally seen sense and paid him compensation, but
remains distressed at the way the officers behaved and the fact
they haven’t seen fit to offer any apology."