Nottinghamshire Police has paid £40,000 in compensation to a woman after two officers unlawfully arrested her and trespassed in her home. The force admitted the officers used unlawful force and committed batteries against the woman, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the incident.
The incident occurred on 24 April 2017, when officers Sgt Jonathan Flint and PC Richard Elliott attended a property in response to a bailiff's call about an alleged theft. The bailiff claimed two young men had stolen a parcel from his car. Body-worn camera footage from the bailiff captured parts of the encounter.
In the footage, Sgt Flint is heard falsely claiming he had the power to force entry, and threatening to break down the door. Once inside, the officers wrestled with the woman, handcuffed her, and arrested her for breach of the peace. The woman, referred to as Sharon, said the handcuffs were so tight they cut into her wrists.
One of the officers was dismissed for gross misconduct but later reinstated after two appeals. Neither officer commented to the BBC. Sharon said she only complained because she initially did not believe the men were real police officers. She is calling for all police to activate body-worn cameras when entering homes.
The compensation was paid more than five years after the incident. Sharon said she still feels frightened when someone knocks at her door and becomes paranoid when she sees police.
