British police have to pay £20,000 to an Irish woman living in London after she was assaulted by police officers, unlawfully arrested and detained in custody, Central London County Court ruled yesterday.
Mrs Mary Lane (55) was arrested in London in May 1994 after an argument between her son and two men outside a night club in Archway, north London. Mrs Lane attempted to end the argument but became involved in a scuffle with the two men.
She believed she was being mugged and shouted for the police to come to her assistance. However, it emerged later that one of the men was a police officer. She was arrested for assault and obstruction and held in a local police station for two hours before being released to attend hospital.
Mrs Lane's solicitors are now considering writing to the Crown Prosecution Service to bring a prosecution against the police officer involved in the assault.