Police officers set to face more damages claims

In the past five weeks, the first stage of proceedings has been launched in three separate cases which the complainants expect to take to court later this year.

Each claim is for less than £10,000 and the three claims together involve several police officers.

A police spokesman confirmed that each of the cases was under consideration, but made no further comment.

It is understood that several other complainants are preparing their own cases alleging various forms of mistreatment by officers during at least three further and separate incidents and expect them to end up in court.

The Guernsey Press learned of the claims as over the weekend a video was posted on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, of an officer involved in a dispute with a motorist. The officer was allegedly found to have breached professional behaviour standards with regard to the use of force.

All the new cases are similar to a recent high-profile claim for damages totalling about £12,000, which was settled only when police officers agreed a deal with plaintiffs Robert and Lucia Curgenven, after the States and its insurers had paid the officers’ legal bills estimated at between £250,000 and £400,00 over a two-year period.

Home Affairs has said that the total cost met by taxpayers in that legal action was £255,000.

Documents seen by the Guernsey Press indicate that details of the first of the new claims were sent to the police on 30 April.

That claim is understood to include one complainant and one police officer who faces allegations of wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, trespass, assault and misfeasance in public office over incidents which took place in the past year.

Details of the second claim were sent to the police on 13 May.

That claim is understood to include two complainants and numerous police officers who face allegations of false imprisonment and breaching various articles of the European Convention on Human Rights over incidents which took place in the past year.

Details of the third claim were sent to the police on 30 May. That claim is understood to include one complainant and two police officers who face allegations of wrongful arrest, assault, false imprisonment and misfeasance in public office over incidents which took place several years ago.

Sources close to the new claims reported that two of the complainants launched the first stage in legal proceedings only after they were dissatisfied by replies they received from the police to informal complaints against officers’ actions.

The three new claims do not include the case of a man who has alleged mistreatment by officers in an incident at the police station which was partly filmed and posted online recently. He is believed to be one of the other complainants expected to start formal proceedings in the near future.

A police spokesman said the brief footage posted online by a third party did not show a full and true picture of the incident.

‘The footage released is an edited, standalone clip, which when viewed without surrounding context does show officers using force in a way which could cause distress to those who have seen it,’ he said.

‘Police would strongly urge members of the community against judging the actions of officers through edited versions of CCTV and reaching conclusions via the court of public opinion and social media, without being aware of the full facts.’