ARRESTED ...OVER A DINKY TOY
Police forced to say sorry for heavy-handed tactics
A TOY car enthusiast was interrogated by police and held in a cell for four hours over claims he’d failed to send three Dinky models to another collector.
Charles Traynor, 51, was taken into custody, photographed, fingerprinted, had his DNA taken and was even refused his heart medication after officers received a complaint he’d carried out a £16 online fraud.
The heavy- handed tactics saw two policemen lift the dad- of- five from his home, drive him to a station three miles away, and put him in a cell.
Joiner Charles was taken into custody on May 27 last year. After 467 days he was told by prosecutors the case had been dropped.
However, when Charles complained about his treatment Police Scotland refused point-blank to say sorry.
Top brass have since been forced to issue an apology following an independent investigation into his case.
Charles said: “It’s difficult to know what’s worst about this whole saga.
“The way I was treated by the police, or the waste of taxpayers’ money and police man hours investigating the sale of three Dinky toys. It’s farcical really.
“I’d say the cost of this shambles must run to tens of thousands.”
The Dinky drama started when – after deciding to have a clear- out – Charles put three toy cars up for sale on auction site eBay with an asking price of £ 16 plus postage and packaging.
The items were snapped up quickly. The buyer transferred £ 16 to Charles but complained the additional £ 6 for postage was too much.
Charles explained: “There was no mark up, that’s what it was going to cost me. He paid me the £ 16, we discussed the extra cost, and then it went quiet. The next thing I knew he’d complained to the police that I hadn’t sent the cars and they were at my door.
At first Charles was clueless as to what was going on when the officers arrived at his home. They gave a brief out
line of the reason and then insisted on taking him to the station for questioning.
He added: “When it became apparent why they were there, I said I was happy to discuss it in the house. But they insisted I was taken to the station.
“I explained I was on medication for a heart condition and diabetes and their response was ‘don’t worry, this won’t take more than an hour and we’ll give you a lift back up the road’.
“But their attitude changed when we got to the station.
“After the interview, in which I was told I’d no need for a solicitor, I had my fingerprints, DNA, and photographs all taken.
“Then I had my shoes and belt taken from me and I was put in a cell.
“My head was beginning to hurt, which is the symptom I get when I’ve not taken my medication.
“When I asked again about getting my pills, I was basically told ‘tough’.
“I’ve no previous convictions. I’ve never been arrested. And yet I was put through all of this for the sake of three Dinky toys. I was also cleared by eBay of doing anything wrong.
“Fours hours after I was lifted, they threw me out in to the street and I had to walk home.”
Furious with the way he’d been treated, Charles complained to Police Scotland but he claims he was given the brush-off.
He then resorted to putting the matter in the hands of the Police Investigations Review Commissioner, who upheld three of his six complaints.
Chief Inspector Andy Hutton wrote: “I apologise unreservedly for any distress or frustration you have been caused and please be reassured that it is Police Scotland’s police to delivery the highest standard of service at all times.”
Scottish Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said: “It appears the police over- reacted hugely to this allegation.
“Quite how anyone could conclude the £ 16 sale of a Dinky toy warrants this level of attention is beyond me.
“The fact he says he was denied medication makes the flashpoint all the more regrettable.”
A Crown Office spokeswoman confirmed the case had been dropped. She said: “The Procurator Fiscal received a report relating to a 51- year- old male and an incident said to have occurred in January, 2015.
“After careful consideration of the facts of the case, we have decided there should be no proceedings taken at this time.”
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “These recommendations have all been addressed by Police Scotland.
“All of the involved parties have been kept informed throughout this process.”