Police Watchdog Investigates Officers After Disabled Man’s Arrest

The police watchdog has issued misconduct notices to two officers concerning their actions during the arrest of a disabled man. Video footage from May in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, reportedly depicted Michael McQueen, 37, who is of no fixed address, being struck multiple times by one officer. A second officer is alleged to have deployed PAVA spray on him. Both officers are currently under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for potential breaches of police standards of professional behaviour. The IOPC has also forwarded a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the officer accused of using PAVA spray. An IOPC spokesman commented, “This does not necessarily mean that any criminal or disciplinary proceedings will follow.” McQueen was apprehended on May 20 outside Londis in St Peter’s Road on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. However, prosecutors subsequently discontinued all action against him. In separate legal proceedings, McQueen received a two-year criminal behaviour order due to repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour in Great Yarmouth. He appeared before magistrates in Norwich on Monday, where he admitted to multiple charges. McQueen was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody for offenses including using words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress, criminal damage, and a racially-aggravated public order offence. The conditions of the criminal behaviour order stipulate that he must not possess an open container of alcohol in a public place and is required to engage with addiction recovery workers. Insp Andy Tomlinson stated: “The use of these orders shows we are keen to protect the communities we serve by breaking the pattern of offending by a small number of individuals.”