Former police inspector arrested after confronting gang who threatened to kill him

A retired police officer bravely challenged yobs when a beer can was thrown at his car - only to be arrested himself and thrown in a cell.

Former Inspector Paul Lawson, 52, had intended to make a citizen's arrest, but backed down when the youths threatened to kill him and smash up his vehicle.

He reported the incident to two police officers on patrol, but they refused to take action.

One of the gang later claimed to have been assaulted by Mr Lawson, however - and this time Northumbria Police did intervene.

The patrolling officers had not bothered to take the former Metropolitan police officer's details, but he was traced through his car registration number.

He was asked to go to the police station in Morpeth - and, to his intense surprise, arrested on the spot.

Mr Lawson was interviewed, held in a cell for two hours, and had his fingerprints and a DNA sample taken before he was released on bail.

He then had to wait several weeks before a decision was made to take no further action against him.

Now he is furious that the yobs who threatened him have never been prosecuted and describes the actions of Northumbria Police as an 'utter disgrace'.

Mr Lawson was an Inspector in the Metropolitan Police Professional Standards Unit, a job which involved investigating the conduct of police officers.

He retired to his native Northumberland after a 30-year career.

Mr Lawson said last night: 'I still can't believe this. At the time this happened, I was distraught about going through the whole process, bearing in mind the background I come from. As far as I am concerned, they just abrogated their responsibility and should be ashamed of themselves.'

The beer can was thrown as Mr Lawson's wife Chris, a 54-year-old nurse, drove him and his brother out of a car park in Morpeth town centre after a night out.

Mr Lawson said: 'There was the usual crowd of boy racers who gather in Morpeth and I got out and moved towards them. I was planning on making a citizen's arrest, but things very quickly turned nasty.

'I was surrounded by about 12 of them. They told me to leave or they would kill me. The ringleader said if he saw my car parked in Morpeth again they would wreck it.'

Mr Lawson was surprised that the police patrol took no action, and astonished to be read his rights at the local police station.

He said: 'I was told I had been arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and that a youth claimed I had grabbed and bruised him. I was absolutely furious, it was unbelievable.

'The police refused my solicitor's submission that there was clearly no need for further action. About seven weeks after the original incident, I got a call to say there was no case for me to answer. It caused a lot of worry and stress for my wife and I.

'I have not heard about any action against the youths. I am still waiting for my allegations to be investigated and I am very angry about the whole experience.

'After 30 years serving as a policeman and upholding the Queen's peace, I could have acted as a professional witness and perhaps got rid of yobs who at times are the scourge of Morpeth.'

Chief Inspector John Barnes of Northumbria Police refused to comment on the incident, adding: 'Anyone who feels unhappy with the way they have been treated can make use of our official complaints procedure.'