A Metropolitan police officer who arrested a woman in 2023 for bus fare evasion in south London committed misconduct, a disciplinary panel has found.
PC Perry Lathwood will be given a written warning after a three-day hearing found he breached professional standards for calling Jocelyn Agyemang a “daft cow” during the incident in Croydon.
He was cleared of allegations that he breached standards relating to equality and diversity and use of force – including applying handcuffs, and discreditable conduct.
The officer was originally fined £1,500 for assaulting Ms Agyemang, who had been travelling with her young son, but had his conviction quashed last September.
The tribunal had heard Ms Agyemang had been stopped getting off a bus in Whitehorse Road where Transport for London inspectors were being assisted by police as part of a ticket checking operation.
In PC Lathwood’s body-worn footage Ms Agyemang is heard saying “can you get off my arm” and “this man is hurting me”.
The footage appears to show PC Lathwood shouting at her to “stop resisting” and shortly afterwards says “there’s a road behind you you daft cow, stay here”.
When Ms Agyemang’s Oyster card was checked and it was confirmed she had paid her fare, she was de-arrested at the scene.
The director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, Amanda Rowe, said: “Police officers must treat members of the public with respect and courtesy during the course of their duties.
“This was a distressing incident for the woman, who was handcuffed in public in front of her child, and the language used by PC Lathwood was disrespectful and unprofessional.”
Ms Rowe said the incident had become “high profile” after a video of the arrest shared on social media went viral.
She explained that it caused “significant public concern at the time”, particularly in the Croydon community.
The director said the interaction “continues to have a lasting impact on the woman involved”.
Paula Dodds, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “Short video clips of incidents viewed from the comfort of sterile and calm environments rarely take into account what police officers in London encounter on a daily basis – or provide a genuine understanding of the true nature of our difficult and dangerous job.
“Police officers have no issue with scrutiny and accounting for their actions and use of force – but this has to take into account the dynamic and split-second challenges and the reality of our challenging role.
“PC Lathwood can finally put this incident behind him and carry on his career. We ask that he and his family are now left alone to get on with their lives.”
