Background

Mr Mathew McConville, Head of Irvings Law’s specialist Action Against the Police Department, has successfully represented a client in a claim for compensation against Dorset Police but due to confidentiality, the client will be referred to as Mr R.

After receiving disturbance complaints in the area, Dorset Police were called and officers were sent to investigate. The said police officers then approached a small group of males sitting on the floor in a hotel car park and within this group was Mr R and his friends; all of whom were below the age of sixteen at the time. Despite this group of minors not doing anything disturbing, one of the said attending police officers grabbed Mr R and pushed him to the ground and he significantly bumped his head. Although Mr R’s head injuries were clearly visible, the said police officer then took Mr R back home rather than to the hospital where Mr R was later taken by his parents.

Representation

After the incident, Mr R’s parents approached specialist Actions Against the Police Solicitors, at Irving’s Law, for representation. Mr. McConville immediately realised that what happened was wrong and offered to act for Mr R by way of “no win, no fee” and lodged a claim for compensation against Dorset Police on the basis that Mr R was excessively assaulted and the failure to take him immediately to hospital was an infringement to his human rights too.

Resolution

Despite Mr R’s complaints were dismissed by Dorset Police before he approached Mr McConville, Dorset Police’s legal department recognised the difficulty in maintaining such a position in a civil claim for compensation. As such, they engaged in settlement negotiations which later resulted in Mr R concluding his claim for £6,500.00 plus the payment of his legal costs.