Citizen Takes Picture of Cop in Traffic Violation and is Promptly Arrested and Jailed

Andrew Carter thought that he was performing a public duty when he photographed an English police officer going the wrong way down a one-way street. Officer Aqil Farooq did not agree — upon seeing Farooq, he jumped out of the van, knocked the camera to the ground, handcuffed and arrested Carter. Carter was then taken in the very same van to jail.

Carter was jailed for hours and only released on bond. To make the scandal complete, Farooq charged the 44-year-old plumber with being drunk, resisting arrest and assaulting the officer with the camera. Assault with a camera?

PC Farooq apologized at a disciplinary hearing. Rob Beckley, Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, has written to Mr Carter saying: “I would like to add my apologies.We expect the highest standards and PC Farooq fell below what was required. His colleagues feel he let us down and he has learnt a difficult lesson. . . . I will be meeting him in the next few weeks and will reinforce our expectations of his behaviour.” That’s it? An officer assaults a citizen, falsely arrests him, and charges him with serious offenses and he get a stern talking to with Constable Beckley?

What do you get in England for a wrongful shooting, a time out?

For the full story, click here.

9 Responses to “Citizen Takes Picture of Cop in Traffic Violation and is Promptly Arrested and Jailed”


  1. 1 dundar 1, August 21, 2008 at 8:47 am

    England is on edge believing they are next for a terrorist attack on civilians. The Bobbies are nervous.

  2. 2 Gino 1, August 21, 2008 at 9:16 am

    England is on the edge of 1984. We would do well to take notes as the story unfolds.

  3. 3 Jill 1, August 21, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    Agreed Gino. I hope people bring a lot of cameras and recording devices to Denver. Police brutality should be exposed. It is a non-violent way of regaining citizen rights.

  4. 4 Mojo 1, August 21, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    Gino “hit the protester on the head” with that one.

    I think people should start practicing “hot-potato-camera” beforehand. If I’m filming somebody getting beaten up, and the cops turn their attention toward me, I’ve got to get the camera off to somebody who can then film me getting beaten, and so on …

  5. 5 Cro Magnum Man 1, August 21, 2008 at 4:14 pm

    JT said…
    What do you get in England for a wrongful shooting, a time out?

    Fortunately they don’t let them carry guns in England.

  6. 6 Michael Spindell 1, August 21, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    Gino,
    While I agree with your “1984″ comment, I think we only need to observe and take notes in our own backyard.

  7. 7 Ken 1, September 2, 2008 at 9:44 pm

    What do you get in England for a wrongful shooting, a time out?

    Not even that – the cops who shot Jean-Charles de Menezes got off scott free

  8. 8 Ashlin 1, March 18, 2010 at 10:56 pm

    Sorry. We should every night call ourselves to an account; What infirmity have I mastered today? What passions opposed? What temptation resisted? What virtue acquired? Our vices will abort of themselves if they be brought every day to the shrift. Help me! I can not find sites on the: Organic hair treatment. I found only this – coarse hair treatment. Hair treatment, the ceilings had washed in a pelvis body result skin, and especially had revealed their cure to scalp at the treatment. Hair treatment, david: positive internet is now such. With love :-( , Ashlin from Israel.


  1. 1 England Set to Make Photographing Police a Crime « JONATHAN TURLEY Trackback on 1, January 30, 2009 at 9:50 am

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