Mum felt ‘violated’ when ‘manhandled’ by Met police officer over Croydon bus ticket

A mother felt ‘very violated’ after a police officer attacked and ‘manhandled’ her, leading to her being ‘wrongfully arrested’ for evading a bus ticket in front of her young son, has heard a court. PC Perry Lathwood, 50, East Sussex, allegedly assaulted Jocelyn Agyemang, causing bruising to her arm during the arrest on July 21 last year in Whitehorse Road, Croydon.

The City of London Magistrates’ Court heard that Met officers were supporting ticket inspectors on a bus at the time. Paul Jarvis, prosecuting, said Ms Agyemang was dropping her son off at her mother’s home before going to a meeting in Marylebone scheduled for 12.30pm.

After she and her son got off at around 11am, she was asked to prove she had paid for her ticket by a bus inspector. “She doesn’t hand it in and walk away,” Mr Jarvis told the court.

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“At this point PC Lathwood is getting involved.” He said Lathwood put a hand on her, but she moved away, so he then grabbed her arm and arrested her for evading.

A crowd gathered, people filming the officer and asking him why he arrested her. In footage played in court, Ms Agyemang can be heard asking the officer: “Can you get off me please? can you get off my arm

“You don’t understand, I didn’t do anything wrong.” Mr Jarvis said Lathwood continued to hold her, demanding she swipe her card. He also handcuffed her.

Another officer took his Oyster card from his hand and went with him to see if he had paid. It was confirmed that Ms Agyemang paid her fare and was detained at the scene.

Mr Jarvis put the prosecution’s case straight. “There was no need for an arrest,” he said. “The officer who decided to make this arrest and decided to seize her and manhandle her acted illegally because he had no justification.

“There was no legitimate justification for the use of force to arrest her at that time. Even though it was necessary to arrest her, the level of force was not reasonable.”

Mrs Agyemang testified to the court. She said she felt “very violated” by the incident.

“I felt like they didn’t care,” she said. “I felt a bit degraded because I hadn’t done anything wrong.” Kevin Baumber, defending, asked her why she left.

“Back then I was just thinking about getting to my mother’s house,” she said. He also asked her why she “resisted” the police when she was pulled over.

“Honestly, I can’t see myself holding out,” she said. She said she was confused and just wanted to get to the appointment on time.

She told the court the experience was “very scary”. “I just remember the strong grip,” she said.

“With the things I’ve experienced in the past, when someone holds me, especially when I feel like I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s very scary for me.” Lathwood also gave evidence. He was asked why he arrested her.

He told the court he had “no idea” what else he could have done other than arrest her. He said he arrested her to prevent her from leaving the place.

“Because of her actions and her refusal to show that card to other people who continually asked her to do so,” he said. He was asked why she did not tell him why she was arrested.

“If the card had come back unpaid, we would have progressed and explained everything to him if he would have let us,” he said. He said she was “not listening” and they needed to “calm her down”.

Lathwood added that he was an “unknown threat,” to her and to him. He denied arresting her so he could use force against her.

The officer was asked why he raised his voice and called her a “mad cow” at one point during the arrest. He said he shouted at her as a form of “tactical communication” and was worried she might go out into the road – hurting herself.

Lathwood, who is attached to the Metropolitan Police’s Traffic Command, appeared in court wearing a blue suit and blue and white tie. He denies a charge of assault by beating and the trial continues.

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