Police probe after officers pin down man and put ‘spit hood’ on his head

POLICE are to launch an inquiry after a young black man says he was left “bruised and shaken” when he was pinned to the ground and had a hood placed over his head during an arrest at a London train station.

IK Aihie, 20, was detained by British Transport Police at London Bridge after he allegedly became aggressive towards officers.

They claim he threatened to spit at them while he was being held so they placed a covering over his head called a “spit guard”.

Footage filmed by a commuter, Ayda Mosharraf, shows Aihie shouting as police hold him on the ground and then put the hood on him during the incident, at 11.30pm on July 21.

His girlfriend, Jessica McConkey, can be seen in distress in the clip, claiming that the couple had been having an argument and the police arrested him. Aihie was held in a cell overnight in Islington and released the next day after accepting a caution for a public order offence.

Ms McConkey has now complained to British Transport Police claiming that excessive force was used.

A spokesman said it had launched an investigation, but said Aihie became “aggressive” after officers intervened in the argument between the couple and he had t hre a t e ned to s pi t a t them.

Ms McConkey told the Guardian she a n d Mr A i h i e we r e “l aw- a b i d i n g citizens” but added: “In this instance we were treated unfairly and the use of force during IK’s arrest was excessive and unwarranted.”

Her boyfriend said: “It was a completely terrifying experience for both of us and I’ve been left bruised and shaken.”

Ms Mosharraf, 26, who filmed the a r re s t a nd post e d t he f oot a ge on Facebook, said she thought being put in a spit hood, which is made from mesh and designed to stop prisoners spitting or biting, would “make a person feel like a dog”.