Two Metropolitan Police officers, Stuart Price and Sevda Gonen, 33, have been found guilty of assault after an inquiry by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) about an incident involving a 16-year-old teenager whom they were escorting to the hospital.
Following a two-day trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, PC Stuart Price and PC Sevda Gonen, stationed at Wood Green Police Station, were both convicted of one count of assault by beating for the force employed during the search of the youngster. PC Gonen was additionally convicted of a second charge of assault by beating for striking the boy many times in the face and grasping him by the hair. Sentencing will occur in January 2025.
On 14 November 2023, officers Stuart Price and Sevda Gonen responded to a disturbance at a location where concerns over a child’s welfare were raised. The officers were transporting him to the hospital for a mental health evaluation when the child ignited a cigarette.
The boy’s mother told the court that her son has psychotic episodes and is a ‘completely different character’ when he is unwell.
A camera inside a police vehicle captured conversation between the officers on their way to the boy’s home in north London, in which Sevda Gonen was heard to call him ‘a f little sh*t’, the court heard.
Stuart Price said of the boy: ‘He’s a f dickhead,’ with Gonen replying ‘I’ve had enough of him.’
Prosecutor Lyndon Harris stated that Sevda Gonen ‘particularly despised’ the youngster and ‘had developed the notion that he was wasting their time by feigning a type of mental illness’.
Upon arrival at the location, Stuart Price, from Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, volunteered to transport the youngster to the hospital in a police van after his mother expressed concerns regarding her son’s well-being to the cops.
The youngster thereafter entered the rear of the vehicle while leaving his foot outside, obstructing the closure of the rear door, as said in court.
In the bodycam clip, Price is heard informing the boy: ‘We are merely attempting to transport you to the hospital.’ You are not in trouble.
The court was informed that footage from inside the police vehicle depicted the kid lighting a cigarette and smoking while en route to Whittington Hospital.
Sevda Gonen thereafter entered the caged rear of the truck and positioned the youngster into the corner, an action the prosecution acknowledged as legitimate.
Following a confrontation, the youngster was restrained with handcuffs but not taken into custody.
In a later use of force report completed by Stuart Price, the officer stated that the youngster had ‘actively resisted Sevda Gonen’s attempts to confiscate his cigarette’, while Sevda Gonen noted in her report that the boy exhibited ‘violent resistance’.
Sevda Gonen stated that the boy’s smoking induced ‘panic’ due to ‘significant safety hazards’, noting her asthma condition and characterising smoking in the vehicle as ‘criminal harm’.
The youngster was searched following authorities’ concerns that he might had items in his pockets.
The prosecution asserted that the search was illegal since the boy had not been apprehended.
Stuart Price said the court that the search aimed to ‘prevent more offences from occurring’.
He is audible on body-worn film presented in court, informing Sevda Gonen: ‘I want to inform you that he has been spitting in my face.’
The officers then consented to section the youngster, and Sevda Gonen informed him that he was being sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
Sevda Gonen expressed concern regarding his spitting and consequently positioned a coat collar near his mouth, as reported in court.
The officer informed the court that she harboured no ‘malice’ against the youngster, stating, ‘The only method I could employ to control the spit was to grasp and restrain him by the hair.’ I was also aware that he might potentially headbutt us.
The boy’s gaze dropped, and he exhibited diminished responsiveness, while Stuart Price was recorded saying: ‘You alright, mate?’ We are merely attempting to assist you, my friend.
Price thereafter said to Sevda Gonen: ‘Indeed, he is warm to the touch.’
In the body-worn footage presented to the court, Sevda Gonen is seen striking the boy’s face multiple times while gripping his hair, resulting in the boy’s eyes flickering.
PC Sevda Gonen restrained the child as PC Stuart Price applied handcuffs. Both policemen conducted a search of the youngster in the rear of the van, and at no time was the child informed of the reasons for his restraint and search.
During the search, the boy spat on Stuart Price and Sevda Gonen covered the child’s mouth and nose with his clothing while holding him by his hair. The child then appeared unresponsive, and PC Sevda Gonen slapped him over 20 times in a five-minute period, which she claimed was to check his responsiveness as she believed the child was pretending to be unconscious. An ambulance was requested, however the officers decided to transport the child to hospital in the police van, where he remained unresponsive until he was transferred to hospital staff.
IOPC regional director Mel Palmer said: “Police officers must have a lawful reason for detaining and searching any member of the public and all officers are aware that they must provide individuals with certain information during a search.
“These officers made no effort to explain their actions and in fact, both gave the IOPC different accounts as to what powers they were performing the search under. On Friday 20th December, a judge has found that the search of the child was unlawful.
“Additionally, PC Sevda Gonen’s actions in slapping the child to check he was conscious is not an approved method and was found to be a further unlawful use of force.”
Our investigation began in December 2023 following a mandatory conduct referral from the Met Police. In April 2024, we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who authorised charges against the officers.
Now that criminal matters have concluded, we are in ongoing discussions with the Met regarding disciplinary proceedings for these officers.
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