A police officer who grabbed a 15-year-old fare dodger by her throat after putting her into a headlock has been handed a community order for his ‘appalling’ actions.
PC Adrian Young of the British Transport Police (BTP), who is attached to the London overground tasking team, was convicted of assault by beating last month following a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The 48-year-old, of Spalding, Lincolnshire, was sentenced at the same court on Thursday to a 12-month community order, including a rehabilitation activity requirement of 10 days, and 150 hours’ unpaid work in the community.
The force said Young’s actions during the incident were ‘appalling, demonstrating a completely unnecessary and unacceptable use of force against a child’.
Young, who remains suspended from duty, was fined a victim surcharge of £114, costs of £650 and ordered to pay £200 in compensation to the complainant.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the court was told BTP officers responded to a request for assistance from railway staff on September 22, 2024 after the girl pushed her way through ticket barriers at Camden Road overground station.
CCTV footage played to the court showed Young restraining the girl by placing her in a headlock.
The child remained in that position for approximately 30 seconds before the constable pushed her back through the ticket barrier and placed his hand around her throat while pushing her up against a ticket machine.
BTP officer PC Adrian Young has been handed a community order after he grabbed a 15-year-old fare dodger by her throat and put her into a headlock at Camden Road Station
The force said Young’s actions during the incident last September were ‘appalling, demonstrating a completely unnecessary and unacceptable use of force against a child’
Young, who has served in the police force for more than 19 years, handcuffed and arrested the child. She was later de-arrested at the scene.
District Judge Nina Tempia said the incident would have caused the girl ‘psychological distress’.
Prosecutor Barto De Lotbiniere told the court: ‘There’s clear evidence to say this is a victim who was vulnerable due to her age and also the circumstances of the time.’
Defending Young, Kevin Baumber said the officer had used ‘excessive force in a lawful detention’ and there was ‘no choking and no strangulation’.
Mr Baumber added: ‘The mistakes Mr Young made were all in flow of an active incident that was made more difficult by an act of physical resistance by the complainant.
‘In a situation where there was grounds for lawful detention, there was also active verbal and physical interference by her friend that made the job the defendant was trying to do more difficult.’
Following the sentence, BTP said it would liaise with the IOPC to ‘swiftly progress disciplinary proceedings’.
BTP Assistant Chief Constable Sean O’Callaghan said: ‘I’d like to be absolutely clear that the actions of PC Young during this incident were appalling, demonstrating a completely unnecessary and unacceptable use of force against a child.
Young, who has served in the police force for more than 19 years, handcuffed and arrested the child. She was later de-arrested at the scene (file pic)
‘Police officers are rightly expected to maintain control of any situation and by not doing so, PC Young has undermined public confidence in BTP and the high standards we hold our officers to every day.
‘We thank the IOPC for their investigation and will be looking to progress with internal disciplinary proceedings as soon as possible.’
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: ‘We are grateful to the member of the public who made a complaint after witnessing the incident – this matter may not have been brought to our attention otherwise.
‘Police officers are permitted to use force during their duties, however it must be reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.
‘The conviction and sentencing of Pc Young demonstrates that officers who abuse their powers by using unlawful force will be held to account and there can be serious consequences.
‘At the end of our investigation, we also found that Pc Young should face a disciplinary hearing regarding his use of force.
‘Now that criminal matters have concluded, we will be liaising with British Transport Police to progress disciplinary proceedings.’
