Use of force during arrest of Sex Education star ‘reasonable’, watchdog finds

The use of force by officers to arrest Sex Education star Reece Richards after he was mistaken for a suspect “was reasonable in the circumstances”, the police watchdog found.

The actor, who plays Eugene in the Netflix series, said he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid, thrown to the ground and kicked by officers when he was arrested in Fulham, west London, in September last year.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an investigation found “no indication that any officers acted in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence”.

The watchdog also did not uphold a complaint by Richards that he was treated in a discriminatory manner because he was black.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe acknowledged the actor was an innocent bystander and that it “would have been a frightening experience”.

She went on: “Mr Richards’ complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was black, although the suspects were white.

“We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident and – given the only description of the suspects was that one was wearing dark clothing and their location – it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect.

“The evidence indicated that the officers’ use of force was reasonable in the circumstances they encountered and perceived and Mr Richards was de-arrested as soon officers confirmed he was not involved.”

Richards said his arrest took place “just yards from my front door” after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical in the early hours of September 4 2024.

The Metropolitan Police officers were pursuing a car flagged as wanted when the vehicle crashed and those inside ran off, the IOPC said.

The only description given to the officers was that one suspect was in dark clothing.

CCTV footage showed Richards walking along Fulham Palace Road, near to the collision, when one of the suspects ran past him, chased by an officer.

Richards dropped his backpack and ran, the watchdog said.

A lone officer then mistook Richards for one of the suspects, stopped the actor and withdrew his PAVA spray but did not discharge it, the IOPC said.

Two more officers arrived and told Richards to get to the ground.

There was a “struggle” and one of the officers PAVA-sprayed Richards and he was handcuffed, the IOPC said.

The actor told them he was innocent and his mother later arrived at the scene.

Richards was de-arrested 14 minutes after he was stopped, the IOPC said.

The actor said on Instagram after the incident that he was the victim of an “unlawful arrest”.

He added: “I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal.

“Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, ‘get to the floor or I’ll pepper spray you’.

“Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me.

“In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground.

“I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach.”

Met Police Commander Owain Richards said: “We are pleased the IOPC was able to determine the officers acted in good faith and appropriately.

“This was a fast-moving incident during which they were trying to detain three men who had fled from police during a pursuit. Their use of force was reasonable in the circumstances.

“Mr Richards was swiftly de-arrested as soon as officers confirmed he was not a suspect, but we absolutely acknowledge how distressing it must have been to be caught up in such an incident.

“We would be happy to meet him to discuss what happened should he wish to do so.”