Police watchdog to assess Sex Education actor’s claim of ‘unlawful arrest’

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has confirmed it received a voluntary complaint referral from the Metropolitan Police.

The IOPC has confirmed it is assessing a complaint from Reece Richards (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Archive)

The police watchdog will assess a claim by Sex Education actor Reece Richards that he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid during an “unlawful arrest” by the Metropolitan Police.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it received a complaint from the West End star on Thursday and will “decide if any further action is required from us” after Richards said he was only stopped because he was black.

Richards claimed he was thrown to the ground and kicked by officers in Fulham, west London, earlier this month after being mistaken for a suspect, and claimed he “didn’t fit the description of the suspects”.

An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have received a voluntary complaint referral this afternoon from Met Police following an incident on Fulham Palace Road, west London, on September 4, where a man was arrested and Pava sprayed by police officers before he was de-arrested at the scene.

“We understand the man received minor injuries.

“The man complained about use of force and the false arrest and also alleges that he was only stopped because he was black, and he didn’t fit the description of the suspects.

“We will now assess the referral and decide if any further action is required from us.”

The actor said he made the complaint because he is asking for “accountability” and “to raise awareness that incidents like this are still happening”.

Richards, who plays Eugene in the hit Netflix series, said the incident happened “just yards from my front door” after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical.

Loose Women star Brenda Edwards, who is the director of the show, alleged he was “racially profiled and violated” in an Instagram post.

In an Instagram post, Richards said: “I had just finished performing in Hairspray The Musical when a car crashed near me.”

Richards explained that two men jumped out of the vehicle so he pointed out to the police the direction in which they had fled.

The officer then shouted to Richards that he was under arrest and “demanded” he get to the ground, according to the actor.

“I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal,” he said.

“Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, ‘Get to the floor or I’ll pepper spray you.’

“Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me.

“In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground.

“I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach.”

He added: “I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go.”

Richards said his mother called Edwards, who is a family friend, and she arrived around 20 minutes later.

“After reviewing bodycam footage, they (the police officers) agreed to release me,” he said.

The arrest took place on September 4 between 12.38am and 2.30am, according to Richards.

A video, shared by Richards and Edwards, appears to show a number of police officers holding an individual to the floor.

The Metropolitan Police had previously confirmed a complaint had been received in relation to Richards’ arrest.