Two Sussex officers charged with causing actual bodily harm

Two Sussex officers have been charged with causing actual bodily harm after a member of the public was injured while being detained.

PC Richard Harris, aged 36, and PC Lorenzo Fenu, aged 28, are scheduled to appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on 10 November jointly charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

The charge relates to an incident on 16 April 2026 when the officers allegedly used unlawful force on a man, who had been detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act, and injured him.

We began our investigation following a mandatory referral from the force. At the end of our investigation in September, we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges.