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Terror police detain disabled boy | Terror police detain disabled boy |
(about 17 hours later) | |
A police force has apologised after a disabled child and his parents were detained at a Channel crossing point under the Terrorism Act. | |
Julie Maynard, of Ware, Hertfordshire, was taking a day trip to Calais through the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, Kent. | Julie Maynard, of Ware, Hertfordshire, was taking a day trip to Calais through the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, Kent. |
The detective constable accused Ms Maynard and her husband Leslie Coombs of trafficking her son Joshua, 12. | The detective constable accused Ms Maynard and her husband Leslie Coombs of trafficking her son Joshua, 12. |
Kent Police apologised and described the incident as inappropriate, unprofessional and lacking in tact. | Kent Police apologised and described the incident as inappropriate, unprofessional and lacking in tact. |
The family was stopped by plain clothes officer from the Channel Tunnel Policing Unit on 20 February. | |
I wish to reassure you that your highly unsatisfactory experience was a very isolated incident Insp Helen Shaw | |
Ms Maynard, a legal advocate, said the officer, who failed to identify who she was, asked for the family's passports then asked "who's the boy?" | |
"My son is mixed race and the officer then told us, 'I believe you are child trafficking'." | |
When Ms Maynard asked the woman officer if she would be asked the same question if her son was white, she said the officer replied: "Are you accusing me of being a racist?" | When Ms Maynard asked the woman officer if she would be asked the same question if her son was white, she said the officer replied: "Are you accusing me of being a racist?" |
The family were then detained under the Terrorism Act and said they were surrounded by "at least 10 police officers" who ordered them to get out of their car. | |
'Frightening experience' | |
Ms Maynard was separated from her husband and son, who is autistic and has cerebral palsy, and taken to a detention room for questioning. | |
Ms Maynard said the woman officer told her: "It's obvious he [Joshua] has nothing to do with you". | Ms Maynard said the woman officer told her: "It's obvious he [Joshua] has nothing to do with you". |
She said officers had told the family they had powers to hold them for up to nine hours under Section 7 of the Terrorism Act, but they were released after more than two hours. | She said officers had told the family they had powers to hold them for up to nine hours under Section 7 of the Terrorism Act, but they were released after more than two hours. |
Mr Coombs said it was an "unpleasant and frightening experience". | Mr Coombs said it was an "unpleasant and frightening experience". |
Police apology | |
Ms Maynard said: "More and more people are being stopped under the Terrorism Act - there's absolutely nothing in the act to stop individual officers abusing their powers. | |
"They have a difficult job to do in a difficult climate but their approach needs to be reasonable and not presumptive that every person is somehow guilty of a possible terrorism or criminal offence." | "They have a difficult job to do in a difficult climate but their approach needs to be reasonable and not presumptive that every person is somehow guilty of a possible terrorism or criminal offence." |
Kent Police said in a statement: "Our officer spoke to a white couple with a child of mixed race. | |
"There were three names on the passport and the officer made inquiries to check the child was leaving the country legally. | |
"The parents made a complaint for which we have apologised." | |
The force added that the officer in question no longer works at the Channel crossing and was in another post but the move was not connected to the incident. | |
Insp Helen Shaw, from Kent Police's Frontier Operations, apologised to the family in a letter. | Insp Helen Shaw, from Kent Police's Frontier Operations, apologised to the family in a letter. |
In another letter she wrote: "Your complaint and my subsequent enquiries allowed me to identify that her (the officer's) manner had been insensitive, lacking in tact and that her conduct overall lacked the professionalism I expect. | In another letter she wrote: "Your complaint and my subsequent enquiries allowed me to identify that her (the officer's) manner had been insensitive, lacking in tact and that her conduct overall lacked the professionalism I expect. |
"I wish to reassure you that your highly unsatisfactory experience was a very isolated incident." | "I wish to reassure you that your highly unsatisfactory experience was a very isolated incident." |