In 2014/15, my client Laura had been in an abusive relationship. She had been obliged to contact Lancashire Constabulary on a number of occasions. Her ex-partner was arrested and in June 2016 given a restraining order.
On 26 March 2017, Laura was confronted/harassed by her ex-partner’s parents, which was a potential breach of the restraining order. Laura was scared and reported the incident to the Police.
Later that day, a PC Ihsan Ali from Lancashire Constabulary was deployed to Laura’s parent’s home address. Laura gave a full report of what had happened. She found PC Ali to be professional, attentive and caring. He took a detailed statement and advised that he would take necessary action.
After a few days, Laura began to receive texts from PC Ali providing updates as regards the investigation.
A short time later, she received a text from PC Ali from a different mobile phone number (PC Ali’s personal number). He advised that “It would have been frowned upon” if he continued to use his work phone to communicate with Laura and “As long as you don’t grass me, I’ll be alright”.
PC Ali then sent multiple inappropriate texts with the clear intention of developing a sexual relationship with Laura. Ultimately, Laura invited PC Ali to attend her home address on the evening of 7 April 2017, less than 2 weeks after he had first responded to her distress call.
PC Ali arrived late and when he did, he parked some distance from the house. He explained that he knew of Police colleagues who lived in the area and he wanted to keep his affairs private. Laura made PC Ali a drink and they spent time talking. After about 15 minutes, there was a knock on the door. Laura established that Police Officers were at her door. They entered and arrested PC Ali.
PC Ali was subsequently prosecuted for misconduct in public office. He pleaded not guilty and the case proceeded to Trial in January 2018. Laura and three other women who PC Ali had abused were obliged to give evidence. On 6 February 2018 PC Ali was found guilty and was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, and subsequently dismissed from Lancashire Constabulary.
Laura realised that PC Ali must have already been under investigation in the days before his arrest, as how else could the Officers have tracked PC Ali to her home?
I intimated a claim on behalf of Laura against Lancashire Constabulary.
In response, Lancashire Constabulary surprisingly denied liability, arguing that PC Ali had at all material times engaged solely in pursuing his own private interest for which they were not liable.
Investigations soon established that the year before PC Ali was arrested at my client’s home, Senior Officers suspected that PC Ali was grooming vulnerable women he had met in his role as an “immediate response officer” in Blackburn and Burnley, for a sexual purpose. Officers in the Anti-corruption unit approached several women with whom PC Ali had previously had contact because of his role, and yet none were willing to cooperate.
By this stage, PC Ali had been under investigation for five months. Communication data from his mobile phone (between July – December 2016) revealed that he was in contact with a number of potentially vulnerable female victims of domestic violence. This contact was described as “disproportionate” and “extremely concerning”. Senior Police leaders decided, however, that available evidence at that time was not sufficiently compelling to bring criminal and/or disciplinary proceedings. In the circumstances, the Anti-corruption unit set up a “safeguarding strategy” whereby the Officer was placed under covert surveillance and his mobile phone, email and computer systems use was monitored on a daily basis.
Notwithstanding these concerns and reservations about PC Ali, he was nonetheless allowed to continue to act as an immediate response officer.
Following the institution of court proceedings, my detailed submissions as regards why the Force was vicariously liable for the conduct of PC Ali resulted in Lancashire Constabulary agreeing to pay my client substantial damages and her legal fees and issue an apology.
My client’s name has been changed.
Read more here: How Lancashire Constabulary used my client as bait to catch a corrupt officer and paid the price.
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