WIREDGOV

A Metropolitan Police officer has been acquitted of all charges relating to a stop and search he carried out on a driver in Camden.

The incident, on 16 September 2016, was referred to the Independent Office for Police Complaints (IOPC) following a complaint about police conduct made by a member of the public.

Our investigation included taking witness statements and analysing different sets of footage of the incident. 

Footage recorded by the driver, a 25-year-old man, showed PC Joshua Savage shattering the windscreen of his Ford Fiesta with a baton and then using a blade on a multi-tool to try and gain access to his car while carrying out a stop and search on Vicars Road.

The driver said he sustained an injury to his eye from the shattered glass.

We completed our investigation in February 2017 and referred its conclusions to the Crown Prosecution Service. Charges were authorised against PC Savage in March 2017.

PC Joshua Savage was acquitted of common assault, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage at Southwark Crown Court on 27 July, 2018.

IOPC Regional Director Jonathan Green said: “The footage captured by the victim on their mobile phone and widely shared in the media, is shocking and it was important that PC Savage was held to account for his actions.

“Our investigation gathered evidence that suggested a criminal offence may have been committed by the officer. A trial has now been held and PC Savage has been cleared of all four charges.

“Our investigation found that a misconduct hearing could decide PC Savage’s actions amount to gross misconduct. The Metropolitan Police did not agree and so we have directed that a misconduct hearing be held to consider the evidence.

“We will be in contact with the Metropolitan Police Service to ensure that the hearing is held as soon as possible.”