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Damages against the police (3)

01 January 1991

Damages against the police
artdoc June=1991

The Metropolitan Police are to pay ¼25,000, without admitting liability,
to Mr Mohammed Hajiazim of Feltham, West London, who had a testicle split
during an alleged assault by police officers.
Jasmin Hodge-Lake and her boyfriend, Michael McMillan, from south-east
London, received ¼3,500 damages and an apology from the Metropolitan Police
following an incident on a bus during 1986. The couple were detained by
police after a bus inspector accused McMillan of having a stolen ticket.
Although charges against him were dropped Jasmin, then seven months
pregnant, was charged with obstruction. Their solicitor, Jane Aschester,
said `They were treated very badly.'
Twenty-four travellers in the Stonehenge Peace Convoy received more than
25,000 damages (6,640 exemplary) from Wiltshire Police after four month
hearing in the `Battle of the Beanfield' case. The case arose following
police actions in preventing the convoy from reaching a festival in June
1985. The convoy members claimed that they had been assaulted by police,
arrested and strip-searched without reason and that vehicles and property
were damaged in the struggle.
The West Midlands police have been ordered by the High Court in
Birmingham to pay damages to a local man, Paul Dandy, who had been accused
of armed robbery. Forensic tests showed that detectives made unauthorised
additions to his statements. The police are expected to appeal. Dandy
served 10 months in prison.
IRR Media Project Bulletin 68, 26.2.91; Voice, 26.2.91; Observer, 3.3.91;
Independent, 15.2.91, 10.4.91

Statewatch no 2,May/June 1991