A police officer is under criminal investigation for the potential offence of common assault, after Sex Education star Reece Richards claimed he was the subject of an “unlawful arrest” earlier this year, the Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed.
The IOPC said the same officer was being investigated for potential gross misconduct, while a second police officer is being investigated for potential misconduct.
Richards claimed in an Instagram post he had been sprayed with an incapacitating liquid by police and was thrown to the ground and kicked by officers in Fulham, west London, in September this year, after being mistaken for a suspect, which he claimed he “didn’t fit the description” of.
An IOPC spokesperson told the PA news agency: “Our investigation into the incident on Fulham Palace Road, West London on September 4 is ongoing. “The investigation is looking into the use of force by Met Police officers during the arrest of a man, who was later dearrested.
“In November, we advised an officer that they were under criminal investigation for the potential offence of common assault. The same officer is also being investigated for potential gross misconduct and a second officer is being investigated for potential misconduct.
“This does not mean that disciplinary or criminal proceedings will necessarily follow. At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings and whether any referral should be made to the Crown Prosecution Service.”
Richards was starring in the West End musical Hairspray and returning home from a performance on 4 September when he witnessed a car crash. He said he saw two men fleeing the scene on foot, and after pointing out the suspects to police officers, he was thrown to the ground and allegedly assaulted.
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In a post on Instagram, the Sex Education star said he had complained to the Metropolitan Police and the IOPC about alleged “racial profiling”. The actor claimed four police officers restrained him by sitting on him, and his mother witnessed the incident which took place in the early hours.
“In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go,” he wrote at the time. “That feeling of helplessness will never leave me. The whole experience was embarrassing, deeply upsetting, and exhausting.”
Richards added: “I won’t rest until I’ve gotten to the bottom of this and I am deeply saddened for anyone else who has been through this.” The Met previously admitted pepper spray was used, and said officers were pursuing a suspected stolen car with false plates. Back in September, the IOPC confirmed the Met had referred itself over the incident.
“We have received a voluntary complaint referral this afternoon from Met Police following an incident on Fulham Palace Road, west London on 4 September where a man was arrested and Pava [pepper]-sprayed by police officers before he was de-arrested at the scene,” they said in a statement.
“The man complained about use of force and the false arrest and also alleges that he was only stopped because he was black, and he didn’t fit the description of the suspects. We will now assess the referral and decide if any further action is required from us,” they added.
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