Complaint of use of excessive force - Metropolitan Police Service, November 2017

We received a complaint from a member of the public on 28 November 2017 alleging he had been punched by a police officer wearing a knuckleduster on 31 October 2017. The complainant said that, as a result, he suffered a fractured eye socket.

The evidence indicated that the Metropolitan Police Service was responding to reports of a moped stolen by two men on 31 October 2017. Police officers in an unmarked police vehicle identified the moped and made attempts to stop it, including a pre-emptive strike to the pillion passenger’s head.

During the investigation, we interviewed both officers who were in the vehicle which attempted to stop the moped, obtained statements from several police witnesses and reviewed radio communications and police documentation from the incident. We also examined Metropolitan Police and national policies relating to pursuits and excessive use of force. We also tried to determine whether the officers were aware that the suspects may have been armed before trying to stop the moped.

The officer accused of punching the man provided his initial account and a written statement. In this, he denied using a knuckle duster and said he did not wear rings, but did admit to striking someone on a moped in order to knock them from their bike.

We made numerous attempts to obtain a detailed account from the complainant. After a year, we decided to continue the investigation without his account.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence. We completed our investigation in June 2019.

After reviewing our report, the force agreed.