UK: Stoke Newington police station
01 September 1996
Seven police officers, six of them from the notorious Stoke Newington police station, in east London, have been charged with offences ranging from unlawful imprisonment, assault and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service. The allegations follow on from a three year police investigation - Operation Jackpot - into racism and corruption at the police station. The investigation was widely dismissed as a cover-up after only two, of the 46 policemen under investigation, were prosecuted.
The latest allegations concern two separate incidents that occurred May 1994 and February 1995. In the first incident twelve people were arrested outside a public house and charged with obstruction. All were later acquitted in court. Summonses have been issued against five officers, PCs Dustin Irribarren, Martin Pearl, David Hay, Colin MacLennon and Enfield PC Mark Astley alleging unlawful imprisonment and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Irribarren is additionally charged with assault. All five have been suspended from duty and will appear in court in November.
The second, unrelated, incident centres around claims of assault in the cells of Stoke Newington police station. Two officers, PC Jason Cook and Sgt Terence Norman have been served with summonses alleging actual bodily harm. Both men have been suspended and are currently on bail until they appear in court in October.
Hackney Gazette 19.9.96.