Police had good defence to unlawful detention claim
Austin and Another v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Court of Appeal
“It was lawful only in extreme and exceptional circumstances for the police to contain demonstrators and members of the public caught up in that demonstration who themselves did not appear to be about to commit a breach of the peace. Containment was lawful only where it was necessary to prevent others from committing an imminent breach of the peace and there was no other way to achieve that.”
The Times, 29th October 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
