Police damages claims Ã20,000 compensation
01 January 1991
Police damages claims Ã20,000 compensation
artdoc April=1992
Scotland Yard have agreed to pay Ã20,000 compensation in an
out-of-court settlement to four young black men who accused
police of assaulting and abusing them after a corn cob was thrown
from a car in October 1988. Winston Bryan, Samuel Messiah and
Trevor Palmer, all members of the Seventh Day Adventist church,
were driving home from a religious retreat in Norfolk when the
incident happened. A fourth man, Randolph Saunders, was arrested
as he was passing by.
The incident was also witnessed by Bernie Grant MP who says
that he was racially abused by police officers when he attempted
to intervene. He told a press conference that the case displayed
`racism of the first order'. A solicitor involved in the case
said that as far as she knew no officers had been disciplined or
suspended as a result of the case. A complaint against the police
is still pending.
The civil action had been taken after charges against the
three men of obstructing the police had been dismissed by
Haringey magistrates in December 1988 and the police were ordered
to pay costs of Ã7,500. (Guardian 26.7.90; Voice 31.7.90)
Institute of Race Relations, Police-Media Bulletin, no 63