Watchdog finds police use of force in arrest of Sex Education actor 'reasonable'

Daily Mirror

15-05-2025

Reece Richards was mistakenly arrested by cops who mistook him for another individual they were in pursuit of
According to an investigation by a police watchdog, police officers acted appropriately when they used force to arrest Sex Education actor Reece Richards during a chaotic early-morning pursuit in west London.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) concluded that while Richards was mistakenly identified as a suspect and later de-arrested, the officers' actions were "reasonable in the circumstances" and did not warrant disciplinary or criminal proceedings.
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The watchdog also rejected claims that Richards, who is black, was treated in a discriminatory manner during the arrest. Richards, known for playing Eugene in the hit Netflix series, had just finished a performance of Hairspray The Musical and was walking home in Fulham when the incident occurred in the early hours of September 4, 2024.
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In a now-deleted Instagram post that he uploaded shortly after the arrest, the actor described the harrowing encounter which took place just "yards from [his] front door". Richards alleged that he was pepper sprayed, kicked, and thrown to the ground by Metropolitan Police officers.
However, CCTV reviewed by the IOPC provided more context. Officers had been pursuing a vehicle linked to a prior offence when it crashed near Fulham Palace Road. The suspects fled on foot, and the only description given at the time was that one man was wearing dark clothing.
Footage showed Richards walking near the scene just as one of the suspects ran past him, with a police officer in pursuit. Richards reportedly dropped his backpack and ran, which led one of the officers to believe he was involved.
A single officer stopped Richards and drew his PAVA spray, which is an incapacitant similar to pepper spray, but it was not used at that point. A struggle ensued when two more officers arrived, and one ultimately deployed the spray. Richards was restrained, handcuffed, and told to stay on the ground.
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The actor, who was not involved in the crime, was released 14 minutes later once officers confirmed his identity and realised he was innocent. His mother arrived at the scene shortly after.
While telling his followers about the incident, Richards wrote that he was "confused" and "unable to understand why [he] was suddenly being treated like a criminal."
He added: "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.
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"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."
Regional Director at the IOPC Amanda Rowe said she understood how terrifying the situation must have been for Richards as an innocent bystander.
She shared: "Mr Richards' complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was black. We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident... and it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect."
She added that officers de-arrested him as soon as it was clear he was not involved in the offence. Commander Owain Richards of the Met Police backed her up, saying the officers "acted in good faith" during a "fast-moving incident".
He continued: "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." Richards has not commented on the watchdog's ruling.