Kent driver ‘pepper sprayed by police’ over ‘Covid breach’ [Video]

This is the moment a man is grabbed by the throat and pepper sprayed in the face during an altercation about ‘breaking lockdown‘. 

The incident, which took place in Ashford, Kent, allegedly began after officers stopped the man on his way home from a food shop because he had multiple occupants in his car. 

During the exchange, officers can be heard threatening to arrest him on suspicion of stealing the vehicle. 

The disturbing footage was shared online last Wednesday by Callum Clements, who was among those pulled over by police. 

Callum was fined £200 for being in breach of lockdown restrictions as he was with more than one household. 

The 31-year-old man in the video was arrested but due to his aggressive behaviour and failure to comply with officers’ requests, confirmed Kent Police. 

The incident comes amid a nationwide police clampdown on people flouting lockdown restrictions, which has resulted in a number of traffic stops to question if people have broken the rules 

People cannot currently leave home without ‘good reason’ and members of different households are banned from mixing together. 

Government guidance also says people should not travel outside their local area. 

Fines start at £200 and can be doubled up to £6,400 for repeat offenders.

There have been dozens of incidents where police have stopped people in cars to question their reasons for travelling. 

In a separate incident caught on film police stopped a packed car during a 160 mile lockdown road trip – and discovered a man travelling in the boot. 

In Wednesday’s incident, Callum can be heard on the footage giving his details to one of the police officers while another questions the driver of the vehicle. 

The two exchange in a heated argument with the officer asking the unknown man: ‘Have you stolen it?’ 

Offended, Callum’s friend retorts: ‘You can’t just ask me that, because you are now accusing me of driving a stolen vehicle.’ 

The other officer who was taking Callum’s details can be heard saying: ‘At the moment mate we don’t know who you are do we.’ 

Standing his ground, the man says: ‘It is mine, run the plate and you’ll find out. You can’t arrest me unless I have committed a crime or broke the law yeah? I have done none of the above. 

‘You are just accusing me of driving a stolen car.’ 

The officer who was engaging with the man then steps forward to grab his hands in an attempt to cuff him. 

The man stands back and the other officer says: ‘We don’t know whose car it is and we don’t know who you are. I am going to nick you on suspicion of theft of that car. 

The man comes back with: ‘Suspicion? You are going to nick me on suspicion?’ 

The officers then both grab a hold of the man who again says: ‘I have not committed a crime, can you let go please. There’s no need for this, can you just run the plate and be done with it.’ 

Callum then attempts to intervene, but is pushed away. His friend manages to escape the clutches of the officers and backs away from the pair and yells in pain, claiming the officer ‘nipped’ him. 

Suddenly, an officer then grabs him by the throat and appears to tackle him to the ground after using his pepper spray. 

The officers pin him down with their knees as they urge Callum to get away. 

As the clip ends, his friend can be heard wailing in agony as Callum exclaims: ‘You guys are police brutality.’ 

Callum then decided to share the footage on Facebook, saying: ‘Police are brutal for no reason. Just going to Sainsbury’s to buy stuff for our household.’  

Speaking today, he said: ‘The police approached because they saw us driving with three people in the car. 

‘We went shopping me, my friend and my other friend, for a disabled woman all from the same estate.’  

He added: ‘I was fined £200 for being with more than one household and he was not arrested for anything.

‘They wouldn’t let me get him any milk or water to stop the burning.’

A spokesperson for Kent Police told Mail Online: ‘Officers on patrol in Ashford stopped a car in Sotherton, Willesborough at 3.35pm on Wednesday 13 January 2021, after suspecting that the vehicle’s four occupants were breaching Government rules designed to stop the spread of Covid-19.

‘A 31-year-old man was arrested but due to his aggressive behaviour and failure to comply with officers’ requests, PAVA spray was used during his detention.

‘Following concerns raised on social media regarding the officers’ handling of the arrest and the suggestion the suspect was choked in some way, a review of the officers’ body worn video from the incident has taken place and has established no issues concerning the conduct of the officers or any evidence of choking of any kind.

‘Furthermore, no formal complaints against the attending officers have been received.’

It comes amid a rash of other traffic stops which have seen people fined for breaching lockdown restrictions. 

In another incident caught on film, a vehicle was seized and the passengers fined after police stopped a packed car during a 160 mile lockdown road trip – and discovered a man travelling in the boot.

Officers also arrested one of the men after it was discovered he was wanted for alleged indecent exposure.  

The officers made the odd traffic stop in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, after finding the car was not taxed and did not have an MOT. 

Thehe six passengers in the vehicle did not have a valid reason for being 160 miles from home so officers handed them each a fine for breaching lockdown.  

The bizzare incident was caught on camera, with footage showing the moment the man climbs out of the cluttered boot. 

An officer can first be heard asking one of the car passengers: ‘What is in the back here, owt or nowt?’ 

The man replies ‘Nothing’, before the officer goes to open the boot. He can be seen struggling with the latch before opening the back door to find the sixth passenger hiding inside.

The cop is clearly surprised to find the man and simply says, ‘oh hello’, before calmly asking him to ‘jump out’ onto the snow covered road.

The unusual traffic stop comes amid a nationwide crackdown on lockdown rule flouters. 

 Britain’s most senior police officer said there is still a ‘small minority’ of people flouting lockdown restrictions.

Met Police Chief, Dame Cressida Dick, encouraged the public to report ‘persistent’ rule breakers to police. 

She said yesterday: ‘If you do have concerns that somebody is persistently not complying with the restrictions, with the regulations, then you should talk to [police].’

The national clampdown comes amid rising Covid cases with the UK yesterday recording its deadliest day of the pandemic so far. 

The incident in Leeming Bar near Northallerton happened when police noticed that the vehicle did not have MOT or tax. 

When the six travellers were questioned none of them had a valid reason to be 160 miles away from their homes during lockdown.

All the men were given fixed penalty notices for breaching Covid regulations and the vehicle was seized.  

Further checks revealed one of the men was wanted over an alleged indecent exposure and failure to attend court so he was arrested at the scene.

Police reminded everybody to stay at home and if your travel is necessary, please do not travel in the boot.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: ‘After speaking to the five men in the car, the officer checks the vehicle over and finds a sixth man laying in the boot!

‘After calmly asking him to jump out, none of the men could really explain why there were six of them in a car 160 miles from home during lockdown.

‘So all six were given fixed penalty notices for breaking covid regulations.’

They added: ‘Thank you to everyone who continues to stay home, stay local, stay safe.

‘And if your journey is essential, please travel carefully and not in the boot.’