A police officer fined £1,500 for assault after wrongly arresting a woman for not paying a bus fare has had his conviction overturned.
PC Perry Lathwood, 50, had been convicted of assaulting her in front of her young son in Croydon on 21 July last year.
Jocelyn Agyemang was dropping the boy at her mother’s house at the time.
Metropolitan Police were helping ticket inspectors and after Ms Agyemang got off the bus, she was asked to show she had paid.
Ms Agyemang said she told the inspector to walk with her as she was in a hurry.
PC Lathwood, from East Sussex, grabbed her arm to stop her and the trial was told he caused bruises during the arrest.
A video of the incident was widely shared on social media at the time.
PC Lathwood was convicted in May this year and sentenced in June. However, Southwark Crown Court has now quashed the conviction after he appealed.
However, he remains on restricted duties pending a misconduct process.
Pic: PA
Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe said: “I recognise that this incident has divided opinions. The impact it had, particularly on black communities in Croydon and further afield, was significant.
“However, PC Lathwood has now been cleared by the criminal courts and that decision must be respected.
“We accept this incident was not handled perfectly and there is valuable learning to be taken from it.
“However we believe that could have been done through police misconduct mechanisms, not the courts.”
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