Complaint of use of excessive force - West Midlands Police, October 2017

On 10 October 2017, West Midlands Police arrested a man for immigration offences. The man was handcuffed and taken to custody. When he arrived, he complained that his wrists had been injured by the officer applying the handcuffs too tightly. He was taken to hospital, where the injuries were established to be historic.

During the investigation, the Investigator read the initial arrest statements from officers and requested further statements to clarify police contact and use of handcuffs, which the officers supplied. Hospital medical records and custody CCTV were also reviewed. CCTV footage showed that the man rotated his wrists around within the handcuffs before complaining that his wrists were sore. Nothing recorded on CCTV suggested that the handcuffs had been used in a way that could have resulted in the man’s wrists being broken.

The investigation found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings. We found insufficient evidence to establish that the force used on the man was unlawful, and did not uphold his complaint.

After reviewing our report, West Midlands Police agreed with our findings.