Actor suing London police for £50,000 claiming they pinned him down and strip-searched him for drugs because he is black

An actor is suing the Met Police for £50,000 accusing them of picking on him as a suspected drug dealer because of his colour.

Daniel Kaluuya, 24, who has appeared in TV drama Skins and starred as Rowan Atkinson’s sidekick in the film Johnny English Reborn, claims he was pinned down, strip searched and accused of obstructing an officer.

In papers lodged with the High Court he is demanding substantial damages for his mistaken arrest on a London bus by officers, one of whom is said to have placed a boot on his head as he was pinned to the ground.

Mr Kaluuya, who won an Evening Standard theatre award as outstanding newcomer in 2010, claims he was 'was singled out because of officers racially stereotyping him.'

He also accuses the Met of using false reports from officers to mount a ‘malicious’ prosecution that accused him of obstructing a police officer.

He later walked free from court after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence.

Mr Kaluuya says his ordeal began after he was taken off a bus in Camden Town, pinned to the ground by the officers before being later strip searched at Kentish Town police station.

He was returning home on January 11, 2010, when he was taken off a bus soon after boarding at about 8.45pm.

Officers told him he fitted the description of someone acting suspiciously in the area.

Mr Kaluuya asked whether he had been singled out because he was black.

In the papers he says a male and a female officer were 'aggressive from the outset' and 'intimidating'.

The pair backed him against a shop window before pinning him to the floor and restraining him, helped by up to five colleagues after they radioed for help.

He had his hands and legs cuffed and his trousers pulled down.

Mr Kaluuya alleges he was kneed in the back, neck and head, kicked in the legs and stomach and had his head and shoulder stamped on.

When he refused to reveal his name, more force was applied via the boot on his head.

He was ordered to walk to the police van but fell over twice because his trousers were round his knees.

Mr Kaluuya adds officers failed to read him his rights and refused to inform his mother he had been taken to the police station.

It was the first time he had been held in custody. He spent four hours in a cell and was subjected to a strip search, during which nothing was found. His fingerprints, DNA and photograph were taken.

Now he is suing Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, on behalf of the force, for 'loss of liberty, personal injury, damage and humiliation.'

He says he went to his GP several days after the incident and was told he had internal bruising to his ribs, chest and back.

He denies police claims he became aggressive when they tried to arrest him.

Original report here

　

　

　

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