Officer successfully appeals common assault conviction
A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer has had his criminal conviction for common assault quashed on appeal.
PC Perry Lathwood, of the Roads and Transport Policing Command, was convicted of common assault on May 17 following a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The conviction related to an incident in June 2023 in Croydon where a woman who had been traveling on a bus was arrested on suspicion of fare evasion.
The MPS said a video of the incident was shared online, attracting “significant public interest”.
PC Lathwood appealed his conviction. On Friday (September 13), at Southwark Crown Court, his appeal was upheld and his conviction quashed.
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.
“Officers do not shy away from scrutiny and recognise the importance of independent oversight.
“We will continue to push for a system of police accountability that officers can have confidence in – one which properly recognises the very challenging role they perform and the requirement on them to make fast decisions under pressure.”
The force said PC Lathwood remains on restricted duties pending the outcome of the misconduct process.
Rick Prior, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “We are pleased that justice has been done, with the Crown Court overturning the erroneous and perverse judgement handed down by Judge Tan Ikram at Westminster Magistrates Court on May 17 this year.
“PC Perry Lathwood walks away from the court today with his reputation restored and without a blemish on his character.
“It has always been my view – and that of the Metropolitan Police Federation – that PC Lathwood had done nothing wrong on 21 July 2023 whilst working on a TFL Revenue Protection operation.
“Indeed, having reviewed all of the body-worn video, it was also the informed view of the Metropolitan Police’s Senior Command that there was certainly no criminality.
“It is my view that this is yet another Independent Office for Police Conduct-led, politically-motivated witch-hunt against a decent, honest, and diligent police officer who was simply doing his job.”