Policing; Wales
Victim criticises delay in justice
01 March 2003
Francisco Borg, one of two Cardiff youths who were the victims of a racist attack and were than attacked again by police officers when they attempted to report the first incident, has won £40,000 compensation from South Wales police. The first assault, by a gang of white men with links to the National Front, saw the men's car surrounded, its windows smashed and a pitbull terrier set on them. When they attempted to escape they were stopped by police officers, who had observed the incident take place, and sprayed them with CS gas. Both of the men were charged with violent disorder. The charges were only dropped when it was revealed that the incident had been captured on CCTV. In August 1988 two of the gang were convicted of violent affray at Cardiff crown court and received light jail sentences; a third man was sentenced to carry out community service (see Statewatch vol. 8 nos. 3 & 4, 5 and vol. 9 no. 6).
Following complaints by the men about the South Wales police force's handling of the incident an investigation was carried out by South Wales police, under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA). This found "no grounds for criminal charges against any of the police officers" involved in the arrest and "determined that racism did not play any part in the police actions." Five police officers were disciplined over their handling of the attack in May 2000. Francisco Borg then brought a civil action against the police force for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, assault, negligence and malicious prosecution which came to court in April 2003. The actions saw South Wales police agree a settlement in which they paid Mr Borg £40,000, admitting liability for false imprisonment and "the consequential technical issue of assault". The police force press release noted that "There is no admission of negligence, malicious prosecution or that excessive force was used."
Commenting on the case Mr Borg complained at the length of time it had taken for his case to be resolved: "I've achieved some justice, but this should have been sorted a long time ago". He pointed out that "we were the victims in this, and they ended up arresting us". Compensation "can't change what happened on the day", he said.
South Wales police statement 24.4.03; BBC news online 23.4.03.