Police officer under criminal investigation over Sex Education actor's arrest

1 week ago 9

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A police officer is under criminal investigation for potential assault after an actor claimed he was unlawfully arrested earlier this year.

Sex Education star Reece Richards said he was unlawfully arrested in September after being mistaken for a suspect he claimed he "didn't fit the description" of.

He claimed he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid by police, was thrown to the ground and kicked by officers.

The actor, who plays Eugene in the hit Netflix series, said the incident took place "just yards from my front door" in Fulham, west London, after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical.

The Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Wednesday that one of the officers involved in the arrest is being investigated for the potential offence of common assault.

The same officer is being investigated for potential gross misconduct and a second officer is being investigated for potential misconduct.

'Get to the floor or I'll pepper spray you'

Richards said before he was arrested, he was trying to point officers in the direction of two men he had seen running from a car.

He said the officer then shouted to him that he was under arrest and "demanded" he get to the ground.

The actor said: "I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal.

"Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, 'get to the floor or I'll pepper spray you'.

"Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me.

"In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground.

"I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach."

The IOPC said the investigation "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," it said.

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