Police officer accused of 'using force' on woman during wrongful bus fare arrest

A police officer who wrongly arrested a woman for bus fare evasion is facing allegations of using "unnecessary" force against her. PC Perry Lathwood arrested Jocelyn Agyemang, who was travelling on a bus to Croydon, south London, with her young son in July 2023, after suspecting that she hadn't paid her fare. The Metropolitan Police officer allegedly held her by her arm and handcuffed her, amounting to a use of force for which there was no lawful basis, a misconduct hearing heard.

He also allegedly used inappropriate language during the arrest, calling Ms Agyeman "love" and a "daft cow", which a barrister representing the Met labelled as "dismissive and condescending". Mr Lathwood was fined £1,500 for assault after the incident but had his conviction quashed last September. However, the seriousness of the gross misconduct allegations he is now facing could see him lose his job, according to Scotland Yard.

Barrister Cecily White told the hearing that Ms Agyemang had paid her bus fare when she dismounted at a stop on Whitehorse Road in Croydon on July 21, 2023, where Met Police officers were assisting Transport for London (TfL) workers as part of a ticket checking operation.

Ms Agyemang had been en-route to an appointment and was planning to drop her son at her mother's house, Ms White said, and after transport workers asked to see her ticket, she asked them to "walk with me, walk with me".

It was then alleged that Mr Lathwood approached and took hold of her arm and wrist before handcuffing her. In bodycam footage, Ms Agyemang was heard saying "can you get off my arm", "I haven't done anything" and "get off me" before shouting: "Can you get off me? This man is hurting me."

The video also showed her telling the officer: "You are actually hurting my arm, can you get off please? I actually feel sick," while her son became increasingly distressed in the background.

Mr Lathwood could then be heard telling her to "stop resisting" before adding: "There's a road behind you, you daft cow, stay here."

The ensuing commotion continued for around four minutes before an officer took her Oyster card and went away to check if she had paid her fare. After it emerged that she had in fact paid, she was de-arrested at the scene.

The hearing was also told that Ms Agyemang called the police that evening and said an officer had hurt her arm while restraining her, describing it as "feeling dead" and crying over the phone.

While giving evidence as the case was heard on Monday, she said she had gone to A&E after the incident and was given anti-inflamatories for bruising which was still visible two days later.

Ms White said Mr Lathwood had been "obviously angry and frustrated" in the footage and suggested that it was "obviously disproportionate and unecessary to apply that use of force and to handcuff her".

"What that did was massively inflame the situation," she added. "Whilst it is accepted that [Ms Agyemang] is confrontational to the officer, in the main that is in response to his laying hands on her, and not the other way around."

The tribunal continues.