Demi Drury

Experience – Demi has been with Higgs Newton Kenyon Solicitors since 2013 and heads our actions against the police department. Demi is committed to holding the police and other public bodies to account for their wrongdoings. Demi can be instructed for police actions all over England and Wales and is regularly instructed on matters against the Metropolitan Police. Demi provided her comments to the Guardian Newspaper (Revealed: fewer than one in 200 complaints against Met unit upheld | Metropolitan police | The Guardian) regarding the Territorial Support Group at the Metropolitan Police.

Demi accepts instructions on various matters involving public bodies including false imprisonment (which include stop and search, false arrest and excessive detention claims), assault, breaches of data protection, misfeasance in public office and malicious prosecution cases.

Demi has acted for clients who have suffered a breach to their privacy. This includes inappropriate disclosure of information, whether medical or personal to third parties.

Demi has also acted for clients under the Human Rights Act, who have failed to be protected by police forces when disclosing CCTV to the media and general public.

Demi understands the importance in securing evidence at an early stage of proceedings and often finds herself in front of a Judge on pre-action disclosure applications. Demi has been described by her clients as professional, efficient, and genuine in her approach.

In addition, Demi is one of our firm’s Court advocates and represents clients at pre-action disclosure applications, dispute hearings, case management conferences, interim application hearings and infant approval hearings.

Demi is also a member of the Police Action Lawyers Group.

Notable Cases

R (On the application of P) v Chief Constable of Gwent Police – Demi was involved in the successful application in the High Court. Demi sought to judicially review a decision for a Court ordered warrant on behalf of Gwent Police. As a result, the warrant was quashed and she obtained damages for her client for false imprisonment, trespass to property and person.

M v Chief Constable of North Wales Police – Following a 5-day multi-track trial before a Judge and 8 panel Jury, Demi represented Mr M who was awarded damages for false imprisonment as the arrest was deemed unnecessary.

F v Chief Constable of Kent Police – Demi represented Mr F who was at home with his child when 2 Kent police officers attended and entered his home. Mr F was assaulted by PAVA spray and a taser. He was later arrested for breach of the peace. Kent Police defended the case up to trial and we were successful in securing the Claimant over £100,000 in damages for his injuries and the imprisonment he suffered together with his legal costs. Demi secured a finding from the Court that Mr F’s arrest was unlawful and consequently the use of force was an assault.

C v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis – Demi acted for Mr C who was on his way to work in his work van when he was stopped by 3 Metropolitan Police officers and dragged out of his van with force. The Metropolitan Police said Mr C was in a stolen van, which later transpired to be incorrect after the Claimant had been injured and detained in handcuffs face down. It was Mr C’s case that he could have simply been asked questions and spoken to as opposed to being treated so aggressively. After a 5 day Jury trial in Central London, the jury

agreed and we were able to recover over £60,000 in damages for Mr C’s injuries and the imprisonment he suffered together with his legal costs. Demi secured a finding from the Court that Mr C’s detention was unlawful and consequently the use of force was an assault.

D v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis – Demi was instructed by Mr D who was stopped and searched for drugs in Southeast London when he was retrieving baby food from a nearby shop for his child. After a 5-day trial in Central London before His Honour Judge Freeland KC and a Jury, it was found that the searching officer did not honestly suspect Mr D was in possession of drugs nor did he inform Mr D all of the requirements found under section 2 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. The Court therefore ordered that Mr D’s stop and search was unlawful and over £60,000 was obtained in damages for the imprisonment together with his legal costs.

Reviews

Former client – “I would like to express my most sincere thanks to you, your company and in particular Ms Demi Drury and her clerk….It is with respect that I inform you that I am a retired Met Police Traffic Constable. I regard myself and my former colleagues as extremely professional, in our time.

I did not think that such professionalism still existed anymore. I am pleased to say that I found it with HNK and Ms Drury.

You are able to see the case, it was and still is extremely raw, but the conduct, support and care that I received kept me sane when I faced a Police service that I no longer recognise.

I really don’t think that I would have kept my sanity if it were not for Ms Drury, keeping me going when all seemed dark. Her professionalism, knowledge and understanding is exceptional, a credit to your firm,

Please pass my most sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms Drury and her clerk for their unfaltering help and care, my wife, family and I greatly appreciate it.”

Former Client – “Thank you to yourself Demi for humouring me and my nervous talkative nature, you are knowledgeable beyond your years. And please pass on my thanks to Gwawr who is a lovely human being and is quite clearly very good at what she does.”

Former Client – “You will never fully know the gratitude and respect J and I have for you after your monumental efforts in helping us achieve justice in our marathon pursuit of the Transport Police. From day one you have been a fantastic asset, always giving sound advice, encouragement and the benefit of your experience. You have always been there when I needed you, returning endless phone calls and explaining things in that very articulate way. Smart, composed, dignified and very capable!”

Interests – Outside of the office, Demi enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling and playing football!