A 57-year-old man with cerebral palsy has claimed police officers manhandled him and pushed his head against the back of a van following an incident at a B&M store in Walton. Paul Morgan told the Liverpool Echo that police were called to the B&M on Utting Avenue after a confrontation with a security guard.
Arrest and Allegations of Heavy-Handed Tactics
Mr Morgan, who has had a weakness down his left side since birth due to cerebral palsy and also takes medication for epilepsy, was handcuffed and placed in a police van before being driven back to his bungalow. He alleged the officers were heavy-handed, accused him of watching too much Tommy Robinson, and suggested he had been drinking because of his limp.
“They bullied me something ruthless,” Mr Morgan told the Echo. He said the officers pinned his arms behind his back, put on handcuffs, and held his head against the van. Video footage seen by the Echo shows three police officers detaining Mr Morgan, with one officer’s hand on the back of his head as his face is pressed against the van. The person filming can be heard shouting for officers to get off him while Mr Morgan screams.
Background to the Incident
Mr Morgan explained that due to his medication he can become confused, and last year he accidentally walked out of the B&M store without paying for some items. This led to a 12-month ban from the store and his face being added to FaceWatch, a security system that safeguards businesses against crime. On June 25, he returned to the store to speak to the manager about the ban ending, but the security guard refused. Mr Morgan said, “I said to him ‘come on kid, this is England, there are rules’ and he took that as a racist comment.”
The Echo understands police were called because Mr Morgan had verbally threatened the security guard, which Mr Morgan disputes. The security guard did not want further action taken, leading to Mr Morgan being de-arrested.
Disputed Claims and Emotional Impact
Mr Morgan claimed one officer told him he had been watching too much Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist. However, the Echo understands the officer claims to have said “too much television.” Mr Morgan also said the officers suspected he had too much to drink because of his limp. “This happens all the time,” he said. “I don’t go to clubs anymore because the bouncers say I have had too much. I walk a bit unsteady.”
After being driven home, Mr Morgan was told to jump out of the van. He said one officer remarked, “you have managed to jump there, maybe we should be in contact with PIP.” Mr Morgan has since visited a walk-in centre and hospital for injuries he claims were sustained during the detention, including bruising, pain to his head, back and neck, a throbbing headache, and blurred vision, as noted in GP notes seen by the Echo.
“They basically manhandled me. I could have had a seizure. I did not react, I did not resist arrest. I did shout a bit. It took three of them to put a disabled man in a van,” Mr Morgan said. He added that the incident has had a deep emotional impact and that he is now exploring a complaint with the force. “It has taken my character away,” he said.
Police Response
A spokesperson for Merseyside Police told the Echo: “We can confirm that a complaint has been received in relation to this matter and as such we are not in a position to comment further.”
