Polish Man Arrested by Staffordshire Police receives Compensation for Wrongful Arrest

On 2nd May 2011 an officer of Derbyshire Constabulary arrested my client for failing to provide a breath specimen and obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty. My client was processed and released from detention.  

In the course of this incident, an officer of Derbyshire Constabulary created a PNC record containing information about my client, including his name, address and the details of his arrest. This record was then incorrectly and wrongly linked to a Police National Computer (PNC) entry in the name of a Piotr Dabrowski. This PNC entry had attached to it a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for Mr Dabrowski.  Mr Dabrowski’s PNC entry was created on 3rd August 2008 and was in respect of an EAW issued on 28th June 2005.

The effect, therefore, was that my client’s correct entry on the PNC, arising out his arrest on 2nd May 2011, also had attached to it the information that he was wanted and liable to arrest under the terms of the EAW. In fact, that latter information was incorrect, since it was Mr Dabrowski who was wanted and liable to arrest under the EAW.

On 29th July 2011, at about 02.10 am, my client was arrested for being drunk and disorderly by Staffordshire Police Officers. At the time and in light of the PNC entry, he was also wrongly arrested for the EWA. He was taken to a police station and detained at 03.02 at which time he was said to be “slightly affected by alcohol.”

At 08.18 Staffordshire Police decided to take no further action in relation to the offence of being drunk and disorderly. Nevertheless my client continued to be detained on the basis of the aforementioned EAW. He appeared before the Magistrates’ Court later that day when it became apparent that the EAW related to a different individual and he was released at approximately 17.00.

But for the outstanding EAW my client would have been released at 08.18.My client was therefore unlawfully detained, until he was released by the Magistrates’ Court, directly as a result of the wrongful actions of Staffordshire Police Officers.

My client’s name has been changed.