British police robots

Mother, 39, battling aggressive breast cancer is thrown into police cell for six hours after obsessed ex-boyfriend makes false assault complaint

A cancer sufferer was arrested and locked up in a police cell for six and half hours after her ex partner falsely accused her of assault.

Lisa Kaley, a mother of-three, tried to explain to officers that she actually had a five year restraining order against former boyfriend Gary Swann following a conviction of criminal damage after he tried to break into her home.

But police told 39 year old Ms Kaley, from Stanford-le-Hope, in Essex, there was nothing they could do because the allegation had been made against her.

She was then arrested on suspicion of assault and was taken to Grays Police Station, in Essex, where she was then finger-printed and left alone in a cell for six-and-a-half hours despite claims that she would be dealt with as a priority.

After a short interview, she was finally told she was free to go home and no further action would be taken against her.

Speaking from her home Ms Kaley said: 'It was a nightmare from start to finish, I was the one who was treated like a criminal - there was simply no need for it at all.

'One look at what I have been through should have been enough for those officers to realise they could have at least approached the matter with some discretion. 'It was all so heavy-handed.

'I am meant to be trying to reduce stress because of my cancer so this was about as bad as it gets.

'They could have used some discretion and perhaps arranged to come and see me - but to be carted off to the police station, leaving my children wondering what was happening to mummy was hard to take.

'I was sitting in the police cell, feeling like I had hit rock bottom and I just felt so helpless and scared.'

Ms Kaley claims she ran into the Mr Swann after she dropped her daughter, Georgia, four, off at school and was making her way home through a local park.

After an angry exchange, where she claims she was verbally abused, she went into a nearby supermarket where she had a cup of tea and tried to calm down after the upsetting confrontation.

But shortly after she got home two police officers arrived at her front door and said she was to be arrested on suspicion of assault.

She added: 'The police were saying to me, why didn’t you phone us there and then when it happened but I was upset.

'I started to show them all the paperwork, the history of what had happened yet it was like they were on autopilot.

'They were saying to me - ‘we are here to arrest you because an allegation has been made’ - I was getting upset, asking them for some understanding, saying it was simply a malicious allegation.'

The two officers explained that because of her illness, Lisa would be dealt with as a 'priority'. Yet despite being placed into a cell at about 11am , it was 5.30pm when she was finally interviewed.

The tearful mother explained to officers that her cancer means she can be very weak and the idea of being able to attack anyone was simply 'ludicrous'.

Despite a long history of alcohol-fuelled violence against Lisa - including throwing a brick through her window and breaking into her home - it was Lisa who felt like the criminal.

When she was finally told she was being released without charge, police made no effort to apologise for what she had been through.

She added: 'I am using all my energies to battle the cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy, so to be thrown into a cell was very hard to take in.

'When the police dealt with me at my home and I explained that I had cancer, they just ignored what I was saying - it was like trying to reason with robots.'

Lisa was handed a formal letter from police confirming no further action would be taken due to a lack of evidence.

An Essex Police spokesman said he was unable to discuss the specific details of the incident.

But he added: 'We are sorry to hear this lady feels aggrieved and would invite her to contact our professional standards’ department should she want to complain formally to us. 'We would always hope to treat people with the dignity and care which is appropriate to their position and if they are vulnerable we would hope to treat them very carefully indeed.'

Original report here




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