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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect the police not to lock me up because I have severe claustrophobia.

155 replies

jojojoeyjojo · 05/07/2025 22:17

I haven’t actually committed any crimes ..but just watching one of my favourite TV shows …’24 hours in Police Custody’ and idly musing about what would happen if I ever did get arrested. I am severely claustrophobic and if I was locked in a police cell…or ..shudder…the back of a police van I would be a hyperventilating, hysterical wreck. I am normally very calm in a crisis but my irrational phobia of enclosed spaces or being locked in would be my undoing. What would the police do
in this situation. I guess they would still have to lock you up? Or would they be able to make reasonable adjustments..I’m genuinely curious..

OP posts:
BernardButlersBra · 06/07/2025 14:00

MoominUnderWater · 06/07/2025 07:09

I worry about something related….i have a frozen shoulder so couldn’t manage handcuffs behind my back. I can’t physically move my arm there, I assume if a police officer moved my arm they could force it into place but I’d be in agony. I can’t wipe my arse with that hand it’s so bad and I’m nearly in tears getting undressed.

Would they agree to handcuff me with my arms at the front? 😁

Different forces have different protocols. Force near me will only cuff to the front

JustMeHello · 06/07/2025 12:53

You see this kind of thing on Interceptor type programmes all the time, where someone screams and cries and writhes around in agony when they're being arrested, or claims to be panicking and hypterventilating. They don't do anything differently, other than perhaps getting them checked medically.

ThePieceHall · 06/07/2025 12:33

sashh · 06/07/2025 10:08

I was arrested.

Someone called the police and made a very specific allegation that I had sent two emails using her account on a particular lap top.

At the time the email was sent the lap top was in Australia, I was in South America.

They were not the brightest, they confiscated my PC, which I understand, but they took the monitor, keyboard, mouse and printer. I asked them about the printer and I was told, "My mate says there is a memory in it".

As for adjustments, it fucking hurts when you have arthritis in your fingers and they are trying to bend them the wrong way to get prints.

Show quote history

It’s weird how the majority of people on here are of the no smoke without fire mindset. I’m glad that you have also illustrated just how easy it can be for someone to detonate a hand grenade into your life. Can I ask, how did your situation end?

DurinsBane · 06/07/2025 10:42

healthybychristmas · 06/07/2025 07:07

@ThePieceHallI would really struggle to have a relationship with my daughter after that.

I assume that is why she is calling her ‘adopted daughter’ rather than ‘daughter’. I guess the 8 year old has done something as well as she was also referred to as adopted

bestcatlife · 06/07/2025 10:40

You're not the only one with this fear. I'm hugely claustrophobic, I often scare myself thinking about being wrongly convicted of a crime. I once told my colleague about it and she shares the same fear!

EmeraldShamrock000 · 06/07/2025 10:37

Fastingandhungry · 06/07/2025 10:28

Poster was being sarcastic.

Show quote history

Oh, thank you. 😊

Fastingandhungry · 06/07/2025 10:28

EmeraldShamrock000 · 06/07/2025 10:24

I doubt it, they probably provide a responsible adult.
Many people use emotional support animals that cannot be in certain areas.
I doubt the dog could stay in a hospital ward or aeroplane for your needs.

Show quote history

Poster was being sarcastic.

Viviennemary · 06/07/2025 10:26

Yes I dont think there are exemptions.

Boddica2000 · 06/07/2025 10:25

jojojoeyjojo · 05/07/2025 22:17

I haven’t actually committed any crimes ..but just watching one of my favourite TV shows …’24 hours in Police Custody’ and idly musing about what would happen if I ever did get arrested. I am severely claustrophobic and if I was locked in a police cell…or ..shudder…the back of a police van I would be a hyperventilating, hysterical wreck. I am normally very calm in a crisis but my irrational phobia of enclosed spaces or being locked in would be my undoing. What would the police do
in this situation. I guess they would still have to lock you up? Or would they be able to make reasonable adjustments..I’m genuinely curious..

Lots of criminals behave like hysterical wrecks. Of course you'd be locked up.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 06/07/2025 10:24

janeandmarysmum · 06/07/2025 08:32

I have an emotional support chihuahua that goes everywhere with me. We can't be separated. I presume he'd be able to come with me into the cell??

I doubt it, they probably provide a responsible adult.
Many people use emotional support animals that cannot be in certain areas.
I doubt the dog could stay in a hospital ward or aeroplane for your needs.

Shenmen · 06/07/2025 10:13

jojojoeyjojo · 06/07/2025 09:14

@Shenmen im very sorry to hear about your bad experiences.

Edited

Thank you :)

Itallcomesdowntothis · 06/07/2025 10:10

Honestly OP the fact that you would ask this question is the more worrying thing here.

sashh · 06/07/2025 10:08

daisychain01 · 06/07/2025 05:54

The best way not to be locked up by the police is not to commit a crime that would lead to being locked up In the first place. You'll never be dragged kicking and screaming to break the law.

its senseless catastrophising and upsetting yourself about a phobia you suffer from, by thinking of the worst case scenario and making yourself suffer even more. Especially as you have the power to ensure it never happens.

I was arrested.

Someone called the police and made a very specific allegation that I had sent two emails using her account on a particular lap top.

At the time the email was sent the lap top was in Australia, I was in South America.

They were not the brightest, they confiscated my PC, which I understand, but they took the monitor, keyboard, mouse and printer. I asked them about the printer and I was told, "My mate says there is a memory in it".

As for adjustments, it fucking hurts when you have arthritis in your fingers and they are trying to bend them the wrong way to get prints.

BoudiccaRuled · 06/07/2025 09:57

Assuming you aren't intending on being arrested, if I were you I'd worry about the more likely chance of ending up in hospital and being on a stretcher in a lift. Nothing you could do about it.

Fastingandhungry · 06/07/2025 09:53

DP = detained person (dear prisoner 🤣)

stichguru · 06/07/2025 09:52

They would still have to make "reasonable adjustments" although I suspect that what constituted as reasonable would be less forgiving than it would be in other sectors. Making sure you weren't in a tiny space would maybe not be a necessary reasonable adjustment. However something like making sure a wheelchair using prisoner could access the toilet would be essential. I did an MA in Disability Studies and interestingly my friend was thinking of doing her dissertation on disabled convicts. We got as far as thinking what she could do that would get her incarcerated just for a little while and not give her a life long criminal record...but sadly she died before testing her evil schemes!

Catsandcannedbeans · 06/07/2025 09:51

I was locked up when I was a teenager and literally had a seizure in police custody and was being violently sick and the woman on the intercom told me “this isn’t a hotel”. They would actually probably take great joy in banging you in the smallest cell they had if you told them. Trust me, a lot of them are sadists. I’m sure there’s some good ones before someone comes in with “well my DH is a police officer” but a lot of them are actually just freaks who are on a power trip and think anyone who’s arrested is a valid target because they broke a law, or at least are accused of breaking a law.

Candlemidnight · 06/07/2025 09:42

HarkerandBarker · 06/07/2025 04:14

My sister's next door neighbour died in police custody. He was obviously going through a mental break down. Throwing all his stuff out on the balcony. Calling out her name Mary Mary why have you done this to me. She'd done nothing. It had been going on for weeks. My sister had two young kids at the time, one of whom was still in a buggy. She couldn't get to her front door without climbing over his stuff as she lived at the end. Eventually police had to be called because my sister was scared shitless. Even though they had tried to talk to him. They being her partner and herself. They'd got on normally as neighbours would prior to this bad episode this poor man was going through. We think he was dying of loneliness. Anyway, the police came, had use some force to take him in. Next thing we know, he was dead. Someone please tell me what he done so bad that he had to die in custody? He was a middle aged black man btw. So for those of you that think institutional racism doesn't exist please think again. I have many more stories of obvious institutional racism. This was not an isolated incident

Next thing we know, he was dead. Someone please tell me what he done so bad that he had to die in custody?
Cause of death?

He was a middle aged black man btw. So for those of you that think institutional racism doesn't exist please think again.
No one with half a brain thinks racism doesn't exist, but this single case could be for any reason. What did the inquest return? Or is this a "my sisters cousins brothers girlfriend" type story?

legolegoeverywhereandnotadroptodrink · 06/07/2025 09:35

Like nobody with claustrophobia has ever been arrested or detained before

PuggyPuggyPuggy · 06/07/2025 09:15

isitmeamithedrama · 05/07/2025 22:33

I worked in a police custody setting….you’d still be locked up.
if you’re prescribed medication by your doctor for it then you’d get it from the nurse on duty, only after 4-6 hours.
commit a crime and you’ll be treated like every other person that’s committed a crime.

So if you're arrested, you have definitely commited a crime? Why do we bother with all this palaver with trials then I wonder 🤔

Original poster
jojojoeyjojo · 06/07/2025 09:14

@Shenmen im very sorry to hear about your bad experiences.

OP posts:
Original poster
jojojoeyjojo · 06/07/2025 09:09

@ThePieceHall
I’m so very sorry this happened to you. I can quite imagine how awful it was and I would be traumatised too. I hope you can get some EMDR or trauma therapy/support and your mental health improves.

OP posts:
Ophy83 · 06/07/2025 09:03

jojojoeyjojo · 05/07/2025 22:17

I haven’t actually committed any crimes ..but just watching one of my favourite TV shows …’24 hours in Police Custody’ and idly musing about what would happen if I ever did get arrested. I am severely claustrophobic and if I was locked in a police cell…or ..shudder…the back of a police van I would be a hyperventilating, hysterical wreck. I am normally very calm in a crisis but my irrational phobia of enclosed spaces or being locked in would be my undoing. What would the police do
in this situation. I guess they would still have to lock you up? Or would they be able to make reasonable adjustments..I’m genuinely curious..

They still lock you up. Otherwise everyone would claim to have claustrophobia. They should do increased welfare checks and involve the health care professional to assess you, but whether that would/could happen in practice I don't know. Probably depends on how many others are in, and of those how many are high on drugs/alcohol, suicidal, kicking off and attacking staff, head injuries, other injuries etc.

janeandmarysmum · 06/07/2025 08:32

I have an emotional support chihuahua that goes everywhere with me. We can't be separated. I presume he'd be able to come with me into the cell??

Longtimeloiterer · 06/07/2025 08:22

Best you dont get arrested then eh 🙄