British cops caught out by secret recording

Scotland Yard is facing a racism scandal after officers were recorded boasting of strangling a black man and calling him a “n*****”.

The exchange, which was captured by the 21-year-old on his mobile phone, reveals a stream of expletives from Metropolitan Police officers, with one branding him a “c***”.

Another admitted strangling him while he was in handcuffs and one told him: “"The problem with you is you will always be a nigger, yeah?”

The recording has now been made public by the alleged victim, after the Crown Prosecution Service initially decided not to charge an officer involved, named as PC Alex MacFarlane.

The CPS has now reconsidered the decision, after the young man’s lawyer threatened to take the case to High Court judicial review.

The recording was made by the young man, from Beckton, east London, after he was pulled over by police in his car and arrested for alleged driving offences after last summer’s riots.

He told the Guardian newspaper he was made to feel “like an animal” by the police, and accused one of kneeling on his chest and strangling him.

The tape, now placed online, captures one officer admitting: “No, I did strangle you… 'cause you're a c***."

A second, identified as PC Alex MacFarlane, then repeatedly racially abuses him, adding: “You’ll always have black skin. Don’t hide behind your colour.”

The arrested man is then heard telling him: “I get this all the time. We'll definitely speak again about this. It's going to go all the way.”

The young man told the newspaper he was originally stopped by a van containing eight police officers and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.

Once handcuffed, he claimed he was assaulted by a police officer and said he decided to turn on the recording facility on his phone after one made explicit sexual references about his mother.

These, along with an allegation the same officer told him he would be “dead within five years” have not been recorded.

Once he had been released, he took the phone into Forest Gate police station and reported what had happened.

The case, which involved three officers, was referred to the CPS by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which feared they could have committed criminal offences.

The CPS initially said charges should not be brought against Mr MacFarlane because the remarks did not cause the man harassment, distress or alarm.

It has now agreed to re-open the file after the man’s lawyer threatened to take the case to the High Court judicial review.

The man's lawyer, Michael Oswald, said: "By his own efforts our client has put before the CPS exceptionally strong evidence and we share his astonishment that the CPS have reached a decision that no police officer should be prosecuted on the basis of that evidence. We do welcome their agreement to review that decision and we now await the outcome of that review."

A spokesman for the Met confirmed the complaint had been referred to the IPCC and said one officer had been suspended over the incident, one was on restricted duties and one remained on full duties.

He added: "These are serious allegations; any use of racist language or excessive use of force is not acceptable."

Grace Ononiwu, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: "Lawyers for the complainant have written to the CPS and asked us to review our decision.

"I have considered the matter personally and directed that all the evidence should be reconsidered and a fresh decision taken by a senior lawyer with no previous involvement in this matter."

Original report here




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