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Police probe after CS spray used in arrest outside blazing club
Ben Bailey16.09.09
Police have launched an inquiry after officers used CS spray in a clash with revellers outside a burning nightclub where Pixie Lott was due to play.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been called in after pictures emerged on the internet of the incident, in which the police are accused of using the spray on a handcuffed man as they dealt with the scuffle outside the Sugar Hut club in Brentwood, Essex.
Three officers have been placed on restricted duties and Essex police said the IPCC are looking into Sunday night incident.
Officers had said they were forced into the bloody confrontation when crowds queuing to enter the club refused to move away.
Hundreds had turned up to see pop star Pixie, who planned to celebrate her single Boys And Girls going to No.1, but she had cancelled her appearance on her way there.
Police were called to the venue — a favourite with models and footballers — to help firefighters manage angry crowds at around 8pm.
The blaze made a large section of the building and roof collapse before being put out after almost three hours. Some witnesses complained police had been heavy-handed but Insp Shaun Kane said: “Officers faced a situation of public disorder" and insisted their response had been “reasonable”.
A man and a teenage girl have been charged over the incident.
The confrontation with police was sparked when officers were called to a pub opposite the club to help security staff throw out a drunk man. Police said the pub-goer had refused to leave the area and was joined by two women, who refused to cooperate with officers.
A 28-year-old man from Romford, Essex, has been charged with assaulting a paramedic, being drunk and disorderly and using threatening words or behaviour.
The 16-year-old girl, from Brentwood, Essex, was charged with two counts of obstructing a police officer following the disturbance. A 40-year-old woman who was also arrested was cautioned for threatening behaviour.
The man and teenage girl charged with offences in connection to the disturbance have been bailed until later in September.
Steve Reynolds of Essex Fire Brigade said a probe had begun into the cause of the blaze, thought to have started on the top floor of the three-storey block.
Reader views (21)
Oh, I'm sorry - I don't have a 'have a go at the police at every opportunity' button on my keyboard. Even people who are handcuffed can be 'out of control', and 'guidelines' are just that, guidelines - not a set of shackles for the police to be confined by.
F'rinstance - being held down by the head? That's using leverage against the subject. They are trained to do that because ultimately it causes less problems for both the police AND the subject.
Were the police involved too rough? Perhaps, I didn't see the ENTIRE incident, and I don't have a built in bias against the plods - but then again, you CAN NOT control troublemakers by being soft and gentle while they are hell bent for trouble.
- Rogan, Irving
What happens before on the video does not matter. CS Spray is used to disable or disarm to allow the officers to handcuff the person and should not be used to control a person pinned down who is struggling. Pushing the face into the pavement is also common assualt, CS Spray used as shown in this video could be deemed to be touture!!!
- Sarah Jane, Basvegas
"Funny how we never get any footage of the bloke acting in a drunk and disorderly fashion to get himself arrested in the first place."
It's interesting that Paul should say that; on Tuesday's ITV London Tonight this story was covered in some detail, and a seemingly independent eyewitness described the "victim" as being "out of control".
However, it is not proportionate to use CS spray on someone with their arms cuffed behind their back; nor is it proportionate for them to become injured in the course of arrest.
- Blue Baby, London
Let's not forget that late night opening was Labour's cure for binge drinking.
I doubt if the average police officer would agree that it has been succesful.
Let's not also forget that hospital staff have to tend these idiots who go looking for trouble and end up in A&E departments all over the country.
Nobody forces booze down somebody elses throat. Drunks get in trouble because they are stupid and can't hold their drink.
It's the police and para medics who have to treat them first then some poor little nurse when they end up in hospital.
Time that a lot of young people grew up and started to behave like adults.
- George, Cambridge UK
Of course there is no video of the clubbers rioting in the streets and attacking police officers, but of course one shows up after the fact and when the police use pepper spray. Pepper spray is a highly effective in riot and crowd control and is also used to subdue a suspect. This person could have previously spat at police, been abusive and so on, and even if in handcuffs, this could of been used to restrain the suspect from injuring others and himself.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London
I thougt we fought a war to stop Police States?
They need to be controlled
- Bill Francis-Williams, Beaumont Pied de Beouf
Roll out the G20 and Menezes comments, this has all the makings of another media-led anti police witch hunt. Until you have actually policed the streets and dealt with disorder and had to use force you are always going to be lacking in a certain level of understanding. The video clip is extremely limited - it shows just a few seconds, completely missing what had happened prior to this, missing the audio (were threats being made?) plus the rest of his body (was he trying to move away?). You can't see the true picture on a small video like this. I agree that CS right next to the face isn't recommended, but the question is - was it justified? Let's not prejudge this bit, prisoners can and have assaulted officers when cuffed in the past. If it was unjustified then of course they should be disciplined, but let's appreciate that the police do a tough job and deserve the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
- H Morgan, London
I don't think the public will have any confidence in any inquiry by the IPCC which is seen by many to not being enabled to investgate in any INDEPENDENCE at all.
White Wash an Buckets come to mind !
- Darnthesafetynet, London W11
After going to sugar hut for a night out and being told i wasnt dressed right, by an absolute dohnut of a doorman. On querying why I he then removed his security door ID, and stated he wanted to fight in the behind the club. After advising id rather if he wanted to assault me he could do it outside his own door in nice view of his CCTV camera's he soon realised what an idiot he was. Rubbish club, aggressive and dismissive door staff who no doubt do and will continue to assault people in the name of being a doorman. I hope the place burns down
- Joe James, London
"…Would they rather they had used truncheons.."
No I would expect police to follow the guidelines and not loose it. For all the good work the police do one officer not following his training has again brought the police into dispute with the people they are supposed to serve not PUNISH.
Officers going over the top need kicking out the force, nobody said it is easy but does require people who can follow guidelines and act with due care, Police in this country should never act worse than the people they claim to be protecting us from
Movies like this and the G20 really shock people and make it look like the police are out of control, someone at home officer needs to get the police to start understanding this will not be tolerated and is breaking the general public's confidence and undermines the good work done by the police.
- Gary, Brentwood
If you watch the video, this is a DISGRACE.
The man is being pinned down by multiple officers, he is already handcuffed and yet the officer sprayed CS gas in his face at POINT BLANK RANGE. They then pulled him off the bonnet by his legs so he landed on the tarmac FACE FIRST.
- Chris, London
Funny how we never get any footage of the bloke acting in a drunk and disorderly fashion to get himself arrested in the first place.
- Paul, London
Remember, Rogan, Irving that whatever the man is alleged to have done, the police's own guidelines on using CS spray, from the Association Of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) say that is should always be used from at least a metre away ... and this was straight in the face at point-blank range while in handcuffs and being held by three officers over the bonnet of a car. Try telling me the man was putting the officers' lives in danger at that monent.
- Phil, Ipswich
Why do they feel the need to continue wasting absurd amounts of £'s on these ridiculous 'inquiries', just look at the video evidence...
The officers will be moved to reduced-duty roles at full pay and a disciplinary letter, which is wiped off their files after 12months...
I've just saved 8-12 months on a pointless fact-finding excercise & £3m in costs...
- Scrappy-Doo, London
Why use it on a hancuffed man?
- Chuck Unsworth, London
- Rogan, Irving
Not sure if you have seen the video footage of this incident or not. If you had you would have seen a man immobilised with his hands behind his back, his head being pushed down on a car and then with no need to do so being spayed with CS. I don’t think that acceptable but maybe you do Rogan?
- Paul B, London
I have seen this clip and the police obviously 'lost it' with both the CS gas and the way in which they dealt with a young woman who was trying to stop them assaulting the man in cuffs.
These officers cannot control themselves & should not be allowed to be on the streets, they are a danger to the public.
- Mark Myword, London
the police were totally out of order and the newspaper have blown ervything out of proportion also. the victims were treated appauling and frankly something should be done to the police for their disgusting actions!
- Gina And Sally, brentwood
Have you ever been in Brentwood High Street at night? Frankly I'd let the whole lot burn down.
- Paul, London
Obviously the policeperson grabbed the wrong canister thinking it was soma-gas. In this brave new world, it's an honest mistake.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
Would they rather they had used truncheons? I somehow don't think the 'revellers' were exactly compliant and friendly drunks in their interactions with the police. Indeed, the police would not have been there in any force unless there had been a perceived cause.
Ok, the ususal Menezes 'this', and G20 'that' crowd will make their copy and paste comments - but who other than the bad guys and the anarchists would want a London/wherever without police to deal with the unruly?
- Rogan, Irving
