Barrister arrested because he wouldn’t breach Covid rules
A BARRISTER is taking legal action against a police force after he was arrested, handcuffed and locked in the back of a police car when he refused to breach Covid safety rules to take part in a voluntary interview.
Joe Rich, 54, agreed to speak to officers about a boundary dispute with a neighbour which has since been resolved in his favour.
The former Conservative parliamentary candidate attended a police station with a solicitor and a medical practitioner for health reasons and was met by two officers.
When a sign reading ‘Keep to max of two’ was pointed out at the interview room, a stand-off ensued and Mr Rich claims he was threatened with arrest and being taken to another station with a room ‘the same size or smaller’.
After continuing to question his treatment, he was arrested and detained in the ‘freezing’ car for about 15 minutes.
He was released and his arrest was reversed only when his solicitor Mary Tmaira protested to a senior officer.
Mr Rich said yesterday: ‘It is totally unacceptable that police officers – of all people – were expecting a group to go into a room that was too small and had warning signs about protecting people from Covid-19.
‘I was told I was going to be arrested and was put in a severe restraint. It was completely unlawful that cuffs were used. The behaviour of the officers was absolutely shocking.’
Miss Tmaira has now lodged a formal complaint on his behalf for wrongful arrest, assault and unlawful imprisonment. She said: ‘I’ve been a solicitor for 18 years and I have never, ever witnessed such a thing in all my career.’ She said the interview room was about 8ft square, with no windows for air circulation.
Mr Rich agreed to speak to officers at his closest police station, at Stansted Airport, Essex, following the disagreement with his neighbour, who later complained to police about feeling threatened – an allegation Mr Rich denies.
Essex Police initially offered to interview him at home because he has been shielding during the pandemic due to health problems, including a series of chest and throat infections. But when another officer took charge of the complaint, Mr Rich was asked to attend the station at 8.30pm on Monday.
The father of three, a former councillor who stood for the Stoke-on-Trent South Parliamentary seat in 2015, had never been arrested before. He had previously
‘I’ve never witnessed such a thing before’
worked with Essex officers in his capacity as a defence lawyer.
An Essex Police spokesman confirmed the force had received an official complaint about Mr Rich’s treatment.
She added: ‘The capacity of a room can be increased if all parties are wearing appropriate PPE and social distancing can be maintained.
‘The interviewee made clear his discomfort at the size of the room and as such, to allay his concerns, we offered several other options, including an alternative location.’
Mr Rich is now due to be interviewed by police at the home in Stansted Mountfitchet he shares with his wife Louise, an accountant on February 1.