Background
Southerns were instructed on behalf of our client (via his Litigation Friend and Mother), aged 16, in connection with a claim against the Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary for damages for unlawful arrest and false imprisonment.
On 2nd March 2024, our client was arrested at his home address. According to the arresting officers, our client matched the description of a male wanted for an alleged Grievous Bodily Harm offence.
The police mentioned they were looking for a machete, however, no weapon was found on the premises. The police did not take statements from the family members who would have corroborated our client’s account that he was not the alleged offender. The family made clear our client was innocent and not at the location at the time of the alleged attack.
Despite this, our client was taken to the custody suite. After spending over three hours in custody, our client was released after DNA samples were taken. Subsequently, it was established that the suspect (who had previous arrests) already had fingerprints on the police database along with a PNC ID number. Our client had never been in trouble with the police before and, therefore, had no DNA data on the police database.
How Southerns Helped
Following the instructions from our client’s litigation friend, a detailed Letter of Claim was sent to Lancashire Constabulary. It was alleged that the police failed to carry out a thorough investigation into the identity of our client and whether he was at the location at the time of the alleged attack. Furthermore, it was alleged that it took the police an unreasonable amount of time to establish they had the wrong individual.
The arrest caused great distress to our client, a young teenager who had never been in trouble with the police before. Southerns sought redress in the form of financial compensation for this action.
The defendant made an offer to settle the claim. Following negotiations on behalf of our client, the defendant accepted an increased offer. Our client was awarded damages in the sum of £2,000. The court later approved this figure in an infant settlement hearing.
To speak with a Southerns Lawyer that specialises in actions against the police and other detaining authorities, please call us on 01282 422711.
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