Wrong Place, Wrong Time: a Misunderstood Encounter Led to a Wrongful Arrest for Assault

A plainclothes officer witnessed a group of men seeming to conduct an illicit exchange and attempted to follow them. At the same time, Mr. W left his hostel. The plainclothes officer stopped Mr. W as he left his hostel, and the officer claimed that he was conducting a drug search. Unsure of who this was, Mr. W resisted and tried to pull away. Interpreting this as assault and refusing to follow police orders, the officer arrested Mr. W, and charged him with assault of an emergency worker, and brought him to the police station for further questioning.  

Fearful for his future and facing assault charges, Mr. W contacted us to represent him. Our assault solicitors immediately swooped into action, determined to uncover the truth and reveal the larger picture. They began their investigation by meticulously analyzing all evidence submitted by the police and the prosecution, searching for any inconsistencies or biases against our client. Following this, our defence lawyers conducted their own legal investigation. 

After closely analysing all available CCTV footage, having lengthy conferences with our client, and meticulously examining the police reports, our criminal defence solicitors were able to successfully prove that our client was wrongfully arrested for assault. wrongfully arrested for assault. Not only did the officer not show any badge or form of identification, but the fact that he was in plain clothes (and not in uniform) confused our client, who did not know he was an officer. Faced with a random stranger demanding that he be searched, our client rightfully ignored the request and tried to leave the situation. 

Furthermore, our client was wrongfully stopped – the police had no reason to stop him, as he was not tied to the other group in any way. Not only did the officer not follow the right procedures, but he wrongfully assumed that our client was involved in the assault. 

Before the trial even began, our assault solicitors submitted overwhelming evidence that proved our client’s innocence and demonstrated that he was wrongfully stopped by the police and wrongfully arrested for assault. Faced with the facts, the prosecution had no choice but to dismiss all charges, resulting in our client’s freedom being restored. 

Simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time can result in a wrongful arrest, weeks of uncertainty, and an assault charge that can haunt you for the rest of your life. If you or someone you know is in a similar situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us now. We’re here to help defend your rights and protect your interests. 

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