Citizens arrest.

[Convict Edd 10]

My advice, dont do it no matter how justified you feel you are.

 

A FATHER who frogmarched a yob to a police station for *shooting his 12-year-old son in the head with an airgun was arrested and thrown in a cell for seven hours.

Businessman Stuart Pettman was photographed, fingerprinted and forced to give a DNA sample after trying to get justice for his traumatised son Oliver.

Mr Pettman, 43, was furious after Oliver was surrounded by older youths who fired the pistol into his head, back and leg after picking a fight with him in a park.

He spotted the thug in the street hours later and insisted he accompany him to the police station. But he was stunned to find he was the one arrested.

The father of two was surrounded by four policemen and told he was being held for assault with a deadly weapon after the airgun-toting youth made a complaint about him and his car keys were mistaken for a knife.

Officers only released him after he had languished for seven hours in a cell as his wife Heather, 43, their daughter Stephanie, 14, and Oliver, *worried about him.

Police have told him he will not be charged but the ordeal has persuaded Mr Pettman, who runs an *internet service for financial traders, to move his family to Singapore where he is opening a new office.

 

Full story

[Skirmisher 10]

We're did this happen?

 

I was told only a few weeks ago by the police that there is no longer such a thing as a citizens arrest.

[Agony 10]

Yes it must be lack of training on citizens arrest, there has been a few cases like these that prop up now and again, including the man who made a youth pick up glass that he had smashed on pavement, he too got in trouble. In this case it seems the right way was for like you say to stay behind abit to answer a few questions, being thrown in a cell was not on, I guess this kid had his feet up with coffee in waiting area I suspect

[Convict Edd 10]

We're did this happen?

 

I was told only a few weeks ago by the police that there is no longer such a thing as a citizens arrest.

 

South London i think.

[MrSmith 10]

My advice, dont do it no matter how justified you feel you are.

 

 

 

Full story

 

I think its a case of the police not understanding the law.

 

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/police/citizens-arrest.htm

[Convict Edd 10]

I think its a case of the police not understanding the law.

 

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/police/citizens-arrest.htm

 

Id say its more likely a case of selective application of the law.

[Agony 10]

I think its a case of the police not understanding the law.

 

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/police/citizens-arrest.htm

 

After reading that I shall think it's just best to leave it to the police..Anyhow its just not safe to intervene these days.

[Moosey 10]

Id say its more likely a case of selective application of the law.

 

Not really - it's a very grey area, as the offence has to be indictable (there's a question as to whether that includes either-way offences). For offences that would simply be assault, there is no power of citizen's arrest. It's certainly arguable that the offence in question is summary, dependant on a few facts that we don't know.

[donuticus 10]

The father as arrested. So what. He wasn't charged. Being arrested is not a problem. It's simply a process to enable the Police to investigate an allegation and enable you to put your side of the story across in a formal environment.

 

If he had been charged with assault then by all means get your proverbial knickers in a twist but he wasn't.

 

I would argue that several hours after an offence and the only evidence you have to place someone under a citizens arrest is your son saying it was him puts you on pretty shaky ground to begin with.

 

And as for moving to Singapore in the hope of a fairer Police system he might just be in for a shock.

Edited August 25, 2012 by donuticus

[fake 10]

I think its a case of the police not understanding the law.

 

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/police/citizens-arrest.htm

 

The one thing that the article misses out is that unless the arresting person cautions (read your rights) the person being arrested, whatever said is not admissible in court.

 

The main problem with that also is that the general public do not have the authority to read anyone their rights, in fact very few people have that authority and that also includes most store detectives. (unless the laws have changed recently)

 

One of the reasons that it should always be the police that do the arrest.