Taxi Driver Online

Cabbie to complain after police CS spray 'attack'

A grandad is making an official complaint against police after he was sprayed with CS gas during a parking row. Taxi driver Billy Sampson said he was left in agony and barely able to breathe or see after the incident in Sunderland city centre.

The cabbie claimed he was grabbed around the neck in a bid to drag him out of his car, before being sprayed in the face with the CS gas. Mr Sampson has contacted the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), as he believes he should not have been arrested and that the officer used excessive force against him.

He is also refusing to pay the fixed penalty notice he was given, so he can have his day in court and clear his name. Mr Sampson said he was trying to pick up a customer outside Savannah Bar at 2am last Sunday, but could not get into Crowtree Road properly because it was blocked by a patrol car.

The 54-year-old, of Townend and Savoy Taxis, claims he was given short shrift when he asked the officer if he would move the vehicle to let him in to pick up his fare.

He said that after a photograph of the police car was taken by another person, the officer got out and approached the taxi. "He put his arms around my neck and tried to drag me out of the car," said Mr Sampson, from Downhill.

"Then he sprayed CS gas in my face. I couldn't breathe and my face and throat were burning. "He said I was fighting him off to stop him getting me out of the car. "But I wasn't throwing punches or anything. I was just sitting with my hands on the steering wheel.

"He added: I thought they were supposed to use that in self-defence as a last resort. "In my eyes, I was the victim of an assault."

Mr Sampson, who lives with his wife Marie and has three daughters and a son, was taken to Southwick Police Station and given an £80 fixed penalty fine. He has taken legal advice and vowed to contest the fine in court, even if it means losing his taxi licence, and is filing an official complaint.

Sunderland Area Command Superintendent Kay Blyth said: "At 2am on Sunday, October 12, police patrolling outside Savannah's were approached by a 54-year-old man who was later arrested for a public order offence and given a fixed penalty notice.

"We have not received any complaints regarding this incident. However, all complaints are taken very seriously and will always be thoroughly investigated."

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IDFIMH

A cynic would say that the copper got the hump over being asked to move. The driver then got the hump cos the copper wouldn't move.

The copper then got the hump the driver wouldn't get out of the car when asked too. The driver then got the hump he was asked to get out of the car.

The copper then struggled to get the driver out of the car. The driver then got a bit protective trying to stop the copper being physical.

The copper got the hump over the driver trying to stop him being physical and sprayed him with CS gas.

From my experience someone who has been sprayed with CS gas is given more than a fixed penalty fine, especially if he is alleged to have made contact with the copper.

Will be interesting to see how this one pans out.

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IDFIMH

Not necessarily, most public order offences nowadays are dealt with by way of an FPN.

The force used to arrest him is separate to the alleged offence. If he had assaulted the PC, then I'm sure he would be on a trip to court.

As usual with these stories, we only have one side of the incident.

I agree, but the use of the spray is only allowed when circumstances get to quite a high level of seriousness, else why use it?

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IDFIMH

It's like any use of force, there's no set level of resistance laid down in law as to when an officer should use the spray, obviously it's down to the court as to what they interpret as reasonable.

Police Officers I know prefer the spray as it's using force, without causing any physical harm to the thousands of innocent aggresive people who don't really commit the 2 millions crimes we all suffer every year.

Rather stingy eyes and a sore throat for 10 minutes than a steel asp baton over the head.

I wonder if being a member of the Labour party would justify the use of the spray and baton together?

The steel asp baton, is used to cause muscle spasm. If you hit someone over the head you would likely kill him or at the very least cause serious brain damage.

Don't get me wrong, if the guys got a knife, then tough shi* - it's dog eat dog.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Ah, so the hospitals in England must carry out this practise at birth to all it's citizens.