Netflix star claims he was ‘pepper sprayed and thrown to ground’ by Met Police as mum screamed and cried

Sex Education star Reece Richards has claimed helium was ‘pepper sprayed and thrown to the ground’ on September 4 erstwhile walking backmost from appearing successful West End philharmonic Hairspray.

The star, who played Eugene connected the hit Netflix show Sex Education, claims helium was wrongly arrested aft witnessing a clang successful Fulham, West London.

The Metropolitan Police accidental an probe is underway.

Taking to Instagram, helium issued a connection which said connected Wednesday, 4th September betwixt 12:38 americium and 2:30 am, he was violently detained by police in Fulham, conscionable yards from my beforehand door. 

The connection said: ‘I’ve heard stories astir incidents similar this, but I ne'er imagined it would hap to me. This is my story.

‘I’ve heard stories astir incidents similar this, but I ne'er imagined it would hap to me. This is my story.’

‘I had conscionable finished performing successful Hairspray the Musical erstwhile a car crashed adjacent me. Two men-one White and 1 Asian-jumped out; 1 started moving successful 1 direction, and the different ran toward maine wherever I stood with my suitcase.

‘Realising the constabulary were chasing them, I shouted, “He ran down there, officer,” and pointed retired the absorption they fled.

‘Despite proceeding me, the serviceman shouted that I was nether apprehension and demanded I get connected the ground. I was confused, incapable to recognize wherefore I was abruptly being treated similar a criminal.

‘Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but 1 serviceman yelled, “Get to the level oregon I’ll capsicum spray you.”‘

Richards past claimed officers ‘ran astatine [him] earlier they ‘pepper-sprayed me, kicked my legs retired from nether me, threw maine to the ground, and handcuffed me.

‘In a flash, I was face-down connected the pavement with aggregate officers holding maine down, forcing my caput into the ground. I was already injured from the show, but having 4 officers connected apical of maine worsened my injuries to my back, ribs, and stomach.

‘I couldn’t spot anything, but I could perceive my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to fto maine go. Although I couldn’t spot her, her distress was clear, truthful I asked her to telephone Brenda Edwards, the manager of Hairspray, a household person and well-known daytime TV host.

‘Brenda arrived astir 20 minutes later, and immediately, the officers’ cognition shifted. After reviewing assemblage cam footage, they agreed to merchandise me.

‘That feeling of helplessness volition ne'er permission me. I’ve been stopped and searched before, but ne'er person I been arrested oregon treated similar this. Witnesses person since told maine that the culprits were besides handcuffed but were not pepper-sprayed.

‘At the time, I was carrying a 23 kg suitcase and a backpack and was connected FaceTime with immoderate of my formed from Hairspray. The full acquisition was embarrassing, profoundly upsetting, and exhausting. It has near maine questioning everything I thought I knew astir justice. Suddenly, my knowing of close and incorrect feels wholly upended.

‘I’ve lodged ceremonial complaints with the IOPC and Met Police, but truthful far, I’ve been incapable to entree the assemblage cam oregon CCTV footage. What I question is accountability for however I was treated and to rise consciousness that incidents similar this are inactive happening.

‘I privation constabulary argumentation to alteration due to the fact that this is happening mode excessively often, and it’s conscionable wrong. I bash everything I tin to debar interactions with the police, yet this acquisition has made it painfully wide that radical profiling remains a important issue. Being surrounded by equipped constabulary for nary crushed is simply a terrifying and traumatic experience.

‘If anyone tin connection proposal connected the adjacent steps oregon ineligible guidance, I would beryllium incredibly grateful. Thank you for taking the clip to perceive my story.’]

The Metropolitan Police told Metro.co.uk: ‘We are alert of a video circulating connected societal media of a antheral being detained successful the Fulham area. Officers often find themselves successful dynamic, challenging situations and person to marque split-second judgements connected which people of enactment to take.

‘Officers had been pursuing 3 men who had tally retired of a car that had crashed successful Fulham Palace Road aft it failed to halt for police. It is wide the antheral shown successful the footage was an guiltless bystander and helium was dearrested arsenic soon arsenic this was established by officers astatine the scene.

‘All officers cognize immoderate usage of unit indispensable beryllium proportionate and tenable and they recognize their actions volition beryllium scrutinised

‘A ailment has been received successful narration to his arrest. This is presently being assessed by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), on with different worldly including the officers’ assemblage worn video footage.

‘None of the officers progressive are taxable to restrictions astatine this time.’

The Metropolitan Police person been contacted for comment.

This is simply a breaking quality story, much to travel soon… Check backmost soon for further updates.

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