Three British goons face misconduct charges after woman who was seven months pregnant was 'assaulted, stripped and handcuffed for 11 hours in cell'

Three police officers are facing charges of gross misconduct after a heavily pregnant woman claimed she was assaulted, left half-naked and handcuffed for 11 hours while in custody.

Lynette Wallace, 42, was seven-and-a-half months pregnant at the time and went into premature labour days after the incident.

Her baby Charna, now nearly two, was born 10 weeks early by emergency caesarean and was treated with a ventilator in hospital. Miss Wallace claims she now has developmental problems caused by her premature birth.

An Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation found an inspector and two sergeants 'had a case to answer' for gross misconduct charges regarding the amount of time Miss Wallace was handcuffed, while one sergeant was also accused of failing to help her get childcare for her other six children. It also recommended two other sergeants and two PCs face disciplinary proceedings in relation to the incident.

Miss Wallace's claim that the stressful situation caused her to go into labour early was not part of the investigation.

The mum-of-six, from Aspley, Nottinghamshire, was held on suspicion of blowing up a car in 2011 but charges were later dropped.

She was pregnant with her seventh child when she was arrested at her home on July 7 on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and intimidating a witness.

She was taken to the force’s Bridewell custody suite in Nottingham where she claims she was told to remove her trousers, which she agreed to do.

After telling officers she had a history of self harm she claims they forcibly removed the clothing from her top half, cutting her bra off with a knife, The Guardian reported.

She was left handcuffed in the cell for 11 hours before she was interviewed and was then 'repeatedly punched in the arm by police officers' when she refused to be handcuffed again as she was in pain. She said: 'The police officers jumped on me and assaulted me and left me in handcuffs for 11 hours while I was heavily pregnant.

'The assault caused me to go into premature labour which almost killed my baby. I am extremely angry and want justice.'

Miss Wallace was also very worried about her children, as no-one was there to pick them up from school.

The next day Miss Wallace was charged with witness intimidation and arson and appeared before Nottingham Magistrates who remanded her in custody. She was taken to Peterborough Prison but started suffering cramps and bleeding.

An ambulance was called to the prison and she was taken to hospital where she had an emergency caesarean section on July 11, giving birth to Charna who weighed just 3lb 3oz.

Miss Wallace said: 'At one point, I wasn’t sure if she was going to live or die. It was a nightmare, I have never gone through so much stress in my life.'

The three police officers will face the charges at a gross misconduct hearing next month, where they could face dismissal from the force.

An IPCC spokesman told MailOnline it had previously decided not to refer the case to the CPS for criminal charges but it was now 'reconsidering'.

He said: 'The IPCC has independently investigated the treatment of a woman while she was in police custody at Bridewell custody suite in Nottingham in July 2011. Among the woman's complaints were that unnecessary and unreasonable force had been used against her and that she had been left in handcuffs for extended periods.

'At the conclusion of the investigation, the IPCC has recommended a number of officers face disciplinary proceedings and that that three police officers have a case to answer for gross misconduct.

'The IPCC is reconsidering an earlier decision not to refer its final investigation report to the CPS and will be discussing this with relevant parties.'

While a spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said it had received the IPCC report in March and was acting on the recommendations.

'Until disciplinary proceedings, due to take place in July, are completed, and until the IPCC makes public its report, it would not be appropriate to make further comment,' he added.

Original report here




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