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Lord Hanningfield: Former Tory peer wins £3,500 damages Lord Hanningfield: Former Tory peer wins £3,500 damages
(35 minutes later)
Disgraced Tory peer Lord Hanningfield, who sued Essex Police for unlawful arrest, has won £3,500 damages at the High Court in London. Disgraced Tory peer Lord Hanningfield has won £3,500 damages after suing Essex Police for unlawful arrest.
The former leader of Essex County Council said he had been unlawfully arrested and detained in 2011. The former leader of Essex County Council, appearing at the High Court in London, said he had been unlawfully arrested and detained in 2011.
He was arrested for alleged fraudulent use of a corporate credit card. That case was eventually dropped. He was arrested for alleged fraudulent use of a county council credit card. That case was eventually dropped.
"I'm very pleased of course, my action was justified. Everything was very heavy handed," the peer said. "I'm very pleased, of course. My action was justified. Everything was very heavy-handed," he said afterwards.
"I would always have co-operated with the police. If they asked to talk to me about these so-called county council expenses I would have agreed." Lord Hanningfield was arrested days after being released from prison having served nine weeks of a nine-month sentence for false accounting over parliamentary expenses.
He had been seeking £6,500 compensation from the police for illegal arrest.
"I would always have co-operated with the police.
"If they asked to talk to me about these so-called county council expenses I would have agreed.
"I think the police do need to be careful. I felt it extraordinary that I was treated in this way," said Lord Hanningfield, 72.
"I want to get back to serving the people of Essex in the House of Lords."
Essex Police has released a statement saying it "is disappointed" with the judgment and is "considering the merits" of appealing against the decision.
A police spokesman said: "We note that the court accepted that officers had acted in good faith and that they had honestly believed the arrest was necessary.
"The decision to arrest is never taken lightly and we recognise the right of individuals to challenge such decisions before the courts."