Father arrested and locked in a cell for smacking son
A father has demanded an apology from police after he was arrested and locked in a cell overnight for smacking his son's leg. Mark Frearson said he told off his son Harry because the seven-year-old walked off alone after dark while they were out shopping. Three hours later four police officers and a specialist child support officer arrived at his house, took Harry away in a police car, arrested Mr Frearson on suspicion of assault and locked him in a cell. After about an hour he said officers told him they could not carry out an interview as the witness "was not in a condition to give a statement". Mr Frearson, a director at a parcel company, had to spend the night in the cell and was released the next day at 10am after the witness was interviewed and withdrew their accusation. The 47-year-old has made a formal complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission about the ordeal. He said the police reaction was "massively over-the-top" and the experience was traumatic for his son. Mr Frearson, from Plymouth, Devon, said: "I find it shocking how easy it is to have someone arrested. To think that all this happened on the back of one allegation. "I appreciate the police's concern but even if they felt they had to take Harry away I don't understand why they felt it necessary to arrest me and lock me up before interviewing me or the witness. "I want an apology, I wasn't given any after being released without charge and I am still angry and bewildered at the events of that night." snip http://tinyurl.com/5sazsz

So yesterday, when I picked up my son from the childminder's when I was told that another child had bitten him on the arm (and it was a bite - drew blood), then should I not have called the police straight away and demanded that a full investigation be made? Of course not. The child minder explained what had happened - had filled out her accident book which I signed, and she told me how in future steps would be taken to avoid a recurrance. Common sense prevails. But if a member of the public (in the story above) chooses to wave red flags and make the police investigate, then I suppose the police have a duty to do so, possibly under the current spook of Baby P. In the above case, it *seems* that the 'witness' chose to withdraw their statement - leaving the police standing empty handed after they had gone to extreme lengths to secure a charge. Question is, did the police ask the 'witness' to tell the story a bit more 'heavily' which the witness refused to do?

Rabbit ... I do think you are a bit too understanding, excessively full of the milk of human kindness, sometimes! :wink: This is all part of Her Jaquiness's Stasi State.