WIREDGOV

We have concluded our investigation into an incident in Bromley, south-east London on 13 September 2021 during which a 70-year-old male motorist was arrested by Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers.

A video of part of the incident in Blyth Road was circulated widely on social media at the time and we received a mandatory referral from the service.

An MPS officer was interviewed under criminal caution by our investigators and notified they were being investigated for potential gross misconduct for their use of force. A complaint of discrimination was also made.

During our investigation we reviewed police body worn video and obtained statements from several witnesses, including the motorist - who sustained significant injuries during a physical altercation with an officer - and an independent witness. House-to-house enquiries were conducted in the area, relevant medical records obtained, and external advice sought from an independent medical expert. 

An assessment of potential CCTV was also conducted in the area where the incident happened.

At the conclusion of our investigation, in September 2022, we found the officer had no case to answer for their use of force in punching the man and there was no evidence that they may have committed a criminal offence. 

The evidence supported the officer’s statement that he believed the man posed a threat to him at the time and that he was acting in self-defence. Prior to punching the man in the face, the officer was, himself, struck in the face by the man and sustained an injury to his eye causing temporary loss of vision. 

We found that the officers at the scene had been polite and professional in their dealings with him before the man became antagonistic.

In those circumstances, we found the force used was reasonable, justified and proportionate given the man was aggressively resisting police.

We also investigated the complainant’s allegation he was discriminated against on the basis of his race. We found there was a legitimate policing reason to conduct the traffic stop as the man had a defective brake light. There was an absence of evidence to suggest the complainant was treated differently or, worse, in being stopped because of his race.

All parties involved have been notified of our findings.