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AIBU?

to complain about DP's wrongful arrest! (Long, sorry)

79 replies

WrongfulArrest · 27/05/2011 22:16

I have namechanged for this as a work colleague knows my username and I wouldn't want this to be common knowledge in the office. I am a fairly new, regular poster.

I have copied a lot of this from a word document I have typed up because I want to send a letter to someone to complain - not quite sure who to send it to though.

Last Saturday evening, we were only home about 30 minutes when police knocked on door.

On opening the door police did not say who they were, what they wanted, or why they were here. The first thing they said was ?where?ve you been? in an accusing manner.

DP was shocked and disturbed at the tone of questioning and replied ?nowhere to do with you ? where?ve you been!? (DP can be a bit of a nark at times - I have told him that had he responded in a different manner then the sequence of events could well be different)

Police explained briefly that someone matching DP's description ?raggedy hair? had assaulted a woman in our street and it became apparent to us both that the police were knocking on all doors. We said that we'd not long been home and had been out with family members, the police seemed happy with this, left and DP and I carried on with our evening - we actually thought no more of it.

Approx 30 mins later male police officer knocked on door ? I answered and policeman asked for a little more detail from Ian, middle name, post code & place of employment. Whilst walking away from the door the policeman advised in a matter of fact way that if he wanted to, he could be inside the house! We both found this quite threatening, and bloody inappropriate!

At this stage we had not been asked to give an account of our movements during that day.

Police then left and we were left wondering what was going on and still did not know the full story as to what had happened and why DP was being treated this way by police officers (who obviously took an instant dislike to him)

21.30pm ? 3rd visit from same police officers

Police knocked on door, advised that they were here to arrest DP based on the description matching his. I was asleep on couch at this point and DP advised that he must wake me to let me know what was happening ? police advised that there was no need, DP was disgusted that they had assumed he would leave the house to go to station without me having any knowledge of where he was or why he was gone.

DP asked police to wait at the door while he woke me, however was disgusted to find that police invited themselves into the flat. Female officer stayed in hallway, male officer came right into living room where I was asleep on couch.

Once I had been awoken, male officer told DP to put his trousers on & winked at him in a mocking manner!

I asked both officers what was going on & police totally ignored me. I was shocked at how unprofessional their conduct was.

After being in the area for 3 ½ hours and getting nowhere they had decided to arrest DP ? without actually asking any proper questions. They had based their arrest on the fact that Ian had long hair!! (IMO they did not want to leave the area without a ?result?)

DP was then humiliated by being marched out the door in handcuffs and enduring at least 20 minutes wait in the van in the street for all to see before being driven to the station.

DP spent a full night in custody and was released on Sunday 10.30am. (Pending DNA results)

Now, I know for a fact that DP did not do this - I spent Saturday night going over and over in my mind if I had left him even for a minute, I was thinking surely the police dont just arrest people for no reason, but I was with him every minute of the day! Even if I had not been with him I know he would not do this!

The police are not interested in questioning anyone else (to confirm his alibi) or in fact check the cctv of the pub we left just before we got home - they are of the opinion that the dna will confirm so no point wasting anymore resource!

I know that the dna results will prove his innocence, but we were supposed to have the results today! We had to go back to the custody office this afternoon only to be told that more officers would be here tonight to take more dna due to the initial swab being lost!!!!! Now we have to wait another week with this hanging over our head. (The police have not long left after taking another swab - I requested that they come in plain clothes and in an unmarked car, which they did)

I now feel like I'm just rambling on, and I'm sorry this is so long, it just seems so unfair - DP seems so fragile now because of this and the neighbours are loving this gossip!

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MrsGaGaGo · 27/05/2011 22:18

Neighbours love gossip next week they'll be talking about someone else.
What was he actually alledged to have done?

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fuzzysnout · 27/05/2011 22:21

Have you changed his name?

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candr · 27/05/2011 22:23

Blody hell, what a nightmare fr you both. You have every right to complain they are doing an awful job with no regard to your feelings. Have dealt with cops being very unreasonable my self (when I was trying to help them as a witness) I would get their names and numbers and speak to their front desk as they have a complaints dep but you need to write times and dates etc and keep a copy for yourself. I know generally they do a great job but when they don't it feels like a real abuse of their power. I hope it all gets sorted out soon for you x

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NomadInNowhere · 27/05/2011 22:23

Oh no! I don't know what to say. I just hope they get the tests done quickly. Does your DP have any previous?
If not then that should help and back up your complaint.
If they come back ok then I do think you should send in a letter of complaint. They can be very heavy handed at times.
Waiting to see what others say.....((hugs))

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WrongfulArrest · 27/05/2011 22:24

Someone assaulted a woman in her car, a man was standing in the road and would not let her past but the man smashed one of her windows and spat on her windscreen (that is where the dna came from I suspect)

That is all we've been told about the incident.

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WrongfulArrest · 27/05/2011 22:26

He has no previous, we're both in a state of shock - if I were to describe him I'd call him a long haired, guitar playing hippy - his philosophy is generally 'put a flower in it' He's never been violent in his life.

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NomadInNowhere · 27/05/2011 22:27

Sounds as if someone was in a hell of a bad mood. Someone wouldn't just get up and do that unless they are a thug or they had some kind of reason. It almost sounds as though the person who did it knows the woman in the car and did it out of revenge maybe?

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NomadInNowhere · 27/05/2011 22:29

I didn't think so wrongful. Lets just hope this gets sorted out asap.

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WrongfulArrest · 27/05/2011 22:30

I have asked for the woman to do an identity parade, but that suggestion was not taken on! (maybe i watched too much of the bill, but I know the woman would say that it was not DP, because it wasn't, it couldn't have been)

It just seems like they do not want to prove his innocence, they are just waiting for the dna results.

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IprivateI · 27/05/2011 22:32

WELL..That's not very nice is it?

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vigglewiggle · 27/05/2011 22:33

Did your DP have legal advice at the police station/ If so he should speak to them about pursuing a complaint. His solicitor/ legal rep will know the strength of the evidence against him and will know whether the arrest was likely to be lawful. It is not unlawful to arrest innocent people. It does happen, but there needs to be some grounds. The police cannot be expected to get it right every time. That is no consolation to your DP who no doubt had a terrible experience, but that doesn't mean it was unlawful arrest.

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MrsGaGaGo · 27/05/2011 22:33

At the end of the day he was with you all night so what's their problem?
Your his alibi

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PaisleyLeaf · 27/05/2011 22:33

fuzzysnout makes a good point WA

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smoggii · 27/05/2011 22:34

The police do a very hard and usually very good job. But because they do it every day sometimes they forget some people aren't used to dealing with them.
TBH i've heard far worse stories of police treatment and I can't see, from what you have said, that the treatment was that bad. You say the PO winked in a mocking manner, he might have been trying to make it lighter...not really appropriate but not that bad.
The DNA will show all is well so don't worry about it. The neighbours will be more worried that the real culprit is still out there.

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cookcleanerchaufferetc · 27/05/2011 22:35

To be fair there is probably alot going on behind the scenes which you won't know about. For example, the woman could have actually said the criminal looked just like your DH... Or there could have been a witness. If you know your DH is innocent then don't worry, it will soon get sorted. Good luck.

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Nicknacky · 27/05/2011 22:35

The police won't be trying to prove his innocence, they are trying to prove their case.

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MrsGaGaGo · 27/05/2011 22:35

Plus you have witnesses to say you DP was with you. The cops were too heavy handed as usual. Hope it all works out

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Nicknacky · 27/05/2011 22:37

MrsGaGago, exactly how were they heavy handed? Especially when you imagine the incident they were dealing with which involved violence?

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MadamDeathstare · 27/05/2011 22:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WrongfulArrest · 27/05/2011 22:46

Plain clothed officers came to the house tonight and took another swab from DP. I have spoken to a PC who seems to have taken this case on, he seems ok but I cant help feeling that he is just placating me!

I have offered up all information, I have typed up a document detailing our full day - what we were wearing - where we were - which cctv cameras would have us - times - the police officers names and numbers - all events.

I think we just need to wait for the results of the dna and then take this to the police complaints commission.

We have always respected the law, and we feel that DP's treatment was unfair.

No one has made any effort to confirm his alibi at all! I know that if they checked the cctv then we'd be seen at another part of the town round about the time the assault took place

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worraliberty · 27/05/2011 22:49

I don't really see what else the police could have done?

Ok they didn't sound particularly 'nice' about it but then nor did your DH as you said yourself.

They're not going to do an ID parade or anything else if taking DNA is their procedure.

I'm sorry this has happened but really it's unavoidable. A woman was assaulted, your DH unfortunately matches the description, they kept him overnight..took DNA and presumably a statement...there's nothing else they can really do is there? Sad

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vigglewiggle · 27/05/2011 22:49

Did he opt to have legal representation at the police station?

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worraliberty · 27/05/2011 22:50

Oh and CCTV is not always clear or reliable, therefore DNA seems the most straightforward way here.

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Nicknacky · 27/05/2011 22:51

You will need to make the complaint to the police force involved not the IPCC. I assume it is your husband making the complaint as it was him involved, not yourself?

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WrongfulArrest · 27/05/2011 22:51

MadamDeathStare - thanks for the suggestion, we will look into that.

Also nicknacky, I'm not saying that the police were too heavy handed but what I am saying is that they dont seem to have carried out any enquiries at all! And to have this hanging over our head is just awful - even though we know what the end result will be - it was really scary!

The thought that police can just come into your house and take you away based on what they think (when in this case is totally wrong)

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