Civil Actions Against Devon and Cornwall Police

If you have been a victim of police misconduct, harassment or have been mistreated by Devon and Cornwall Police whilst in police custody in Devon or Cornwall, you could be entitled to compensation. You do not have to accept poor police conduct, if your civil liberties or human rights have been infringed, HNK Solicitors can pursue this for you.

We have a team of experienced and dedicated Actions Against the Police and civil liberties solicitors with specialist knowledge in this area, who can help provide you with advice and support every step of the way. We want to ensure you get the outcome you desire, whether this is a formal apology, disciplinary action against Devon and Cornwall Police officer(s) involved, or compensation for your mistreatment.

Devon and Cornwall Police is the largest geographical Police force service in England, covering an area of 3.9 square miles and serving a population of around 1.5 million. They police the ceremonial counties of Devon and Cornwall and cover the unitary authority areas of Plymouth and Torbay.

Step 1

Get in touch using our contact forms or any details provided throughout the site.

Step 2

We arrange a free consultation with you to discuss the case

Step 3

If accepted we will action your case on a no win no fee basis.

HNK Solicitors have successfully sued a number of police forces on behalf of numerous clients, so we have plenty of experience in pursuing civil actions against the police. Whether you have been subject to police misconduct as a resident in Devon or Cornwall, or just whilst visiting the area, we can help you pursue a claim against Devon and Cornwall Police force. We regularly accept instructions from clients nationwide. Do not worry if you cannot make it to our office, as we can deal with matters by way of telephone, letter, and email, and have a facility for clients to sign documentation electronically to speed up the process.

We understand this process can be challenging and emotionally demanding but our expert solicitors will guide you through the process. We represent clients throughout Devon and Cornwall, in a wide variety of police conduct cases. Some are instances of minor conduct issues however others are serious failings and gross misconduct issues that have resulted in officers being sent to prison and dismissed.

Examples of Devon and Cornwall Police Misconduct:

There are many different types of police misconduct, which you can claim against Devon and Cornwall Police for, including:

Assault and battery
Police dog bites
Wrongful arrest/False Imprisonment
Unlawful stop and search
Negligence
Breach of human rights (e.g. unlawful strip search/trespass to your home)
Malicious prosecution

Misfeasance in public office (abuse of power by the police)
Discrimination under the equality act (e.g. racial, sexual, etc.)
Retention/misuse of personal information such as DNA and finger-prints
Disclosure and Barring service complaints
Judicial Review
Trespass to property
Breach of data protection

What should you do if Devon and Cornwall Police have mistreated you?

You need to make a complaint to Devon and Cornwall Police within one year of the incident. Ideally, this should be a written statement with your full name, address, and contact information, as well as details of the allegation and complaints you are making. The complaints process can be quite complex, so it is beneficial to instruct a specialist solicitor on police conduct. Consult HNK before you make your complaint to Devon and Cornwall Police, and we can review it for you. The purpose of the complaint is to have the particular officer investigated for the complaint that was made.

Devon and Cornwall Police then allocates your complaint to an officer or to the professional standards department to investigate it. It will then be dealt with in one of two ways. Local resolution is used in less serious complaints, and Local Investigation is used for more serious complaints, where a complaint needs to be investigated further. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation you are given 28 days to appeal the decision.

The civil action against the police is conducted with the purpose of obtaining compensation for mistreatment and/or an admission of liability. Actions against Devon and Cornwall Police are often highly defended, so it is highly advised you have an experienced legal team, such as ourselves, to help fight your case for you, if you want a successful outcome.

What can we do for you?

Our actions against the police and civil liberties solicitors have fought many cases against Devon and Cornwall Police throughout Devon and Cornwall and are recognised as leaders in the field of human rights law and actions against the police.

We are proud to offer a no-win, no-fee service, depending on the facts of your case and an initial assessment. This means you won’t have to pay a penny upfront. We also routinely act under private funding and legal expenses policies. Contact us today to find out more.

Free Consultation

No-win-no-fee

Dependent on the details of your case we can offer a no-win, no-fee service, so it won’t cost you a penny to begin the process of making your civil liberties claim. You are then only expected to pay a percentage of the compensation you are awarded if your case is successful.

Get the outcome you desire

Our expert lawyers will fight the case on your behalf, to get the outcome you desire.

FAQ

What can your Actions Against Devon and Cornwall Police help me with?

Our AAP department deals with cases where there have been allegations of Police Misconduct from Devon and Cornwall Police. We have helped hundreds of clients throughout Devon and Cornwall, who have suffered a range of issues, such as:

• Wrongful Arrest and imprisonment
• Wrongful stop and search
• Discrimination
• Malicious Prosecution
• Assault and Battery
• Trespass to property
• Human Rights breaches
• Data protection breaches
• Seizure of property

Can you help with my claim against Devon and Cornwall Police?

We try our best to help anyone who has encountered a problem with the Police. We regularly accept instructions from clients nationwide. Despite our office being based in Liverpool, our expert Actions Against the Police department often represent clients from all over England and Wales and take on cases against a variety of police forces. We can deal with matters by way of telephone, letter, and email, so you don’t need to worry if you are claiming against Devon and Cornwall Police. We also have a facility so that our clients can sign documentation electronically to not only speed the process of progressing your case but helping us do our bit for the environment too!

Can I take Devon and Cornwall Police to court myself?

In this country, as long as you do not have a civil restraint order, you can issue Court proceedings, however, actions against Devon and Cornwall Police are highly contentious. In our view, the litigation process can be complex for the layperson, so we urge anyone who wants to take Devon and Cornwall Police to court to seek legal advice before doing so.

Further, it would be imperative to understand the litigation process and the law to ensure you have the best chance of success.

Won’t Devon and Cornwall Police just delete the video footage?

If you have suffered an injustice or misconduct by the Devon and Cornwall Police, it is important to act quickly so all relevant footage can be retained. If you instruct us, our specialist complaints team will ensure a request is made for all footage and ensure Devon and Cornwall Police force do everything reasonable to help secure the same.

What is the difference between a police complaint and a police claim?

A police complaint is different from a police claim, as the complaint deals with the standards of professional behaviour and whether the officer has breached the same. If the officer is found to be in breach, then sanctions may be imposed against the officer, such as dismissal, suspension, restricted duties, or a warning. The complaints process can also refer the officer to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Unfortunately, in our experience, officers are rarely sanctioned, and the complaints procedure is not always fit for purpose.

A police claim, on the other hand, deals solely with compensation following police misconduct. Unlike a complaint, a civil claim is pursued through the Court system and, if successful, can result in damages and legal costs being paid by the Defendant, in this case, the Metropolitan Police force.

When should I make a complaint to Devon and Cornwall Police?

Initial complaints need to be made to Devon and Cornwall Police force within one year of the incident. A claim for personal injury damages needs to be made within three years of the incident. Other aspects of your complaint against Devon and Cornwall Police such as matters arising under the Human Rights Act must be made within one year. For discrimination complaints, a complaint must be made within six months of the incident. In other areas such as malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, and misfeasance in public office, a claim must be made within six years.

SPEAK TO OUR TEAM

Call us on - 0151 203 1104 | Email us at - enquiries@hnksolicitors.com

Testimonials

Thank you for your prompt help in this matter. All your telephonists were polite and well informed and dealt with my queries promptly.

Julie Mayfield
Can you please pass on my appreciation to all the members of staff at Higgs – Newton – Kenyon who were involved in my case but especially to Michelle Jenkins who has been an absolute star. Many thanks.

Christopher Peter Wood