Police officer fined for assault after manhandling woman on bus

A police officer has been fined £1,500 for assault after he manhandled and wrongly arrested a woman for bus ticket evasion in front of her young son. PC Perry Lathwood, attached to the Metropolitan Police’s Road Policing Command, grabbed Jocelyn Agyemang by the arm, causing bruising during the arrest on July 21 last year in Whitehorse Road, Croydon, South London.

Ms Agyemang said the incident was “deeply humiliating and embarrassing” and that Lathwood had “a look of contempt” that day, in a victim personal statement read at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Also in the statement, she said the events had a “devastating effect” on her and her young son, who had now lost faith in the police service.

Senior Deputy District Judge Tan Ikram sentenced the 50-year-old officer, from Normans Bay, East Sussex, saying: “On this occasion, in my view, the officer overstepped the mark and made a mistake.

“It was not out of bad faith. He faced a passenger who I have previously described as difficult and challenging, but in my opinion made a momentary error of judgment as if in the heat of the moment.”

The judge added that he did not think it was an “abuse of power” but a “mistake”. The court heard that Lathwood does not accept the conviction and will appeal against it.

As well as the fine, he was ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation, £650 costs and a £600 victim surcharge. He will have to pay the total sum of £2,950 within 56 days.

Ms Agyemang said in her personal statement: “Pc Lathwood manipulated me in circumstances where it was not justified but there was a look of contempt in his eyes so it is hard for me to get past him.

“His comment that I was a ‘mad cow’ was particularly degrading and I think he intended it to be degrading.” I lost all faith in the police.”

The mother also said her son was “scared” during the incident and “now doesn’t trust the police”. In Lathwood’s defence, the court was told “no harm was intended (and) he was trying to do his job”.