On the 4th of March, there was another dawn raid on my home, multiple police officers in cars and a van. I was apparently arrested while having a stress attack in bed, caused by the sudden unexpected invasion (that’s what they told me) a natural reaction to finding 4 large uniformed figures looming over me as I was suddenly awoken, and after I had recovered following an emergency ambulance call out, (the police were here for over 5 hours) I learned I had apparently been arrested as an immediate danger to my aggressor and also to his wife, by merely existing and going about normal routine household activities.
At no point was I out of the sight of an officer, even when I went to use my own toilet, just in case I used the toilet paper to fashion a rope to exit by the 1st floor window, slide down and make my escape, without my guide cane.
After turning my house upside down, in the process doing about £350 worth of property damage, the only things they took away as 'evidence' was my all my access technology and with it, practically everything I need to have an independent life, they even seized my digital video recorder for the CCTV system (after lying to me about not assisting them), which I need for my own protection, from a maniac who continues to use the interactive features of his newly installed CCTV came, looking directly into my windows to repeatedly verbally harness me when ever I step out onto my garden patio and they took one of my tinnitus masking machines as well, ohh and the SD cards from my wildlife cameras, presumably to stop me from infringing on the rights of our family of hedgehogs.
After I had told my father what had happened he identified 4 breaches of the Human Rights Act, and both positive and indirect discrimination in what had happened. He informed the responsible Inspector (his precise words were ”As you will realise the removal of his phone in these circumstances is clear evidence of indirect discrimination contrary to the Equality Act (a policy which has a disproportionate adverse effect on the disabled), direct discrimination ([the aggressor] is not being treated similarly), and of the Human Rights Act (Article 3: Article 7: Article 8: Article 14: and Protocol 1, Article 1)
The responsible Inspector self-referred this farce to Professional Standards.
The trouble is that, under the absurd bottom up controls which exist in the Met, the Inspector is not allowed to interfere with the actions of an ‘Officer in Charge’ while a ‘case’ continues, however artificially it has been created and unnecessarily prolonged, so I am not holding my breath!
It started terribly, it got worse towards the middle of the day and the less said about the end the better. When I was being booked in not even the stations own desk sergeant could understand how the their severely sight impaired detainee with dark glasses and a guide cane, could be charged with stalking and harassment as I clearly didn't actually have the capability to stalk anyone.
In sequence, here is everything wrong that happened, some of these items are actual crimes, others merely horrible practice and some just needless and easily preventable cruel and inhumane treatment:
1) The investigating officer intentionally sent us to the wrong police station, we think just to add even more stress to needlessly delaying my pumped presenting myself on time, itself a vindictive and horrible thing to do, but far worse to someone with autism.
2) Despite assurances to the contrary, I was immediately separated from my carrer, who happens also to be my father, and who was not even allowed to enter the station for absolutely no reason.
3) When questioned about this practice, they lied saying that the reason my father was not allowed to attend was that he had previously been ejected from a interview after causing a disturbance, which of course is just slanderous nonsense, and very easy to disprove as well.
4) I was escorted to a cold drafty parking area, with no where to sit down, initially they implied this was to search me for weapons, but it became clear from what they were saying to each other, I was only been searched because apparently there is some malicious record on their files that I have previously snuck recording equipment into a police station, and they called this "a red flag". (if anything this encounter highlights the need for citizens to have the absolute right to be video record all interactions with the police, if only their own safety and security)
5) When asked ( before being searched) at this time did I have any recording equipment on me at the time I of course told them about my usual body camera which I wear for my Safety and Security, in fact which I clearly articulated to them, and at that point they told me that I should have discloses to them when they asked before I entered the station, but up until that point in the interaction no one had asked me if I had any recording equipment on me at all, and when I pointed this out to them, they've been said oh well we told your father yesterday, which I of course pointed out to them was completely stupid because me and my father I'm not the same person.
6) I was searched before being told the reason for research.
7) I was searched without a appropriate adult or any Independent witness, twice.
8) I was searched a second time for hidden recording equipment and during this search they removed my clothing (that is against the rules). No only did they take off my shoes and socks, they removed my medically necessary eye shades to inspect them for a hidden camera, one of them even told another where to look for a possible hidden camera, despite the fact that these are exactly the same commercially available shades from the official RNIB shop I have previously warm during all other interactions with the police.
9) In addition to confiscating my body camera, which I should be completely entitled to have, due to blindness and being unable to take notes during the interview, someone with sight would be completely entitled to write down everything which is said during the interview assuming venue short hand so this is clear direct discrimination.
10) Despite previous assurance, my state appointed solicitor was denied access to a telephone and was not allowed to call or be called by my father. (Intentionally severing someone who is autistic from their support network is needlessly cruel, if not inhumane)
11) Despite literally what it says on the police caution you are given when being booked for interview, I was repeatedly denied access to a telephone to make a phone call.
12) At no point was I offered anything to eat, allowed the opportunity to leave to get something to eat or to allow someone to bring me something 9 hour encounter.
13) Again, country to previous issuances, I did not have the opportunity to speak with the duty nurse before being interviewed, ie the only person with authority to have overridden their decision to take away my boddy camera which is obviously why they did that.
14) They took away my assistive technology which would have enabled me to read for myself documentation and as a result I was not made aware of the custody rights and also was not provided this large print.
15) I had prepared a written statement and I was not permitted the opportunity to read this into the record in its entirety or in part.
16) As part of the second search, somebody put their fingers down the back of my trousers and had a feel around inside my underwear, this should be classified as an intimate search and is inappropriate and disproportionate and not being told why they were doing it and absolutely not without the presence of an independent appropriate adult.
17) Despite the fact that there was a considerable delay before the initial searches, they did not use that time to take my biometric records and instead I had to do this after everything else that had already happened and by this time it was 11:00 at night, already incredibly stressful encounter intentionally in my view.
HRA 1998
Article 2: Right to life
Article 3: Freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment
Article 4: Freedom from slavery and forced labour
Article 5: Right to liberty and security
Article 6: Right to a fair trial
Article 7: No punishment without law
Article 8: Respect for your private and family life, home and correspondence
Article 9: Freedom of thought, belief and religion
Article 10: Freedom of expression
Article 11: Freedom of assembly and association
Article 12: Right to marry and start a family
Article 14: Protection from discrimination in respect of these rights and freedoms
Protocol 1, Article 1: Right to peaceful enjoyment of your property
Protocol 1, Article 2: Right to education
Protocol 1, Article 3: Right to participate in free elections
Protocol 13, Article 1: Abolition of the death penalty.