Demands have been made for Suffolk Police to launch a 'full, fresh investigation' after a teenager's chin was impaled on a fence while he was being restrained by officers. The incident occurred during the First Light Festival in Lowestoft in June, when 15-year-old Rocco Kirkpatrick was held by police. The teen required plastic surgery after his chin was pierced by a spiked metal fence.
Incident Details
Rocco had been spending the day with friends at the festival on 21 June. Just before 10pm, officers pulled him away, stating they were attempting to de-escalate rising tensions in what they described as a 'volatile' crowd. According to a report, officers escorted him away because he had 'repeatedly refused instructions to move away' and had become 'verbally confrontational'.
CCTV footage appeared to show Rocco being pressed against the fence, resulting in a severe injury to his chin. An internal investigation by Suffolk Police ruled that 'the injury was not caused by officers using unlawful or excessive force'. However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now ordered the force to re-examine the incident.
IOPC Ruling
The IOPC stated that the initial investigation was 'not reasonable and proportionate' and instructed Suffolk Police to conduct a new inquiry. The force has been told to 'take an account from Rocco and obtain additional responses from the officers involved'. This decision came after an appeal lodged by Rocco's mother, Jade Kirkpatrick.
An IOPC spokesperson said: 'We decided that the handling of the complaint was not reasonable and proportionate and that lines of inquiry were not pursued.'
Family's Response
The family's solicitor, Iain Gould, expressed relief that the matter is being re-examined but voiced frustration that the same detective constable is leading the inquiry. He told the BBC: 'I now await confirmation from Suffolk Police that this matter has been properly re-allocated and that a full, fresh and rigorous investigation, implementing all necessary procedures, will be commenced forthwith.'
Mr Gould previously wrote in a blog post: 'The police complaints system, intended to uphold professional standards and protect the public, is frequently undermined by Professional Standards Departments (PSD) that act to shield officers rather than hold them accountable. Using the case of Rocco Kirkpatrick as a stark example, it highlights serious investigative failures, apparent bias, and the troubling reappointment of the same investigator despite a quashed report by the IOPC. The piece contends that such practices reflect a wider systemic issue in which complaints processes serve to protect police reputations instead of delivering impartial justice, and calls for genuine reform to restore public confidence and accountability.'
Police Statement
Suffolk Police confirmed that a senior investigating officer has been assigned to re-investigate the handling of the incident. The force has not yet commented further on the specifics of the new investigation.
