Latest news with #wrongfulArrest
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Retired policeman wrongly arrested over 'thought crime' X post wins £20,000 payout
A retired policeman who was wrongly arrested over a social media post warning of a rise in anti-Semitism has won £20,000 in compensation. Julian Foulkes, from Gillingham, was detained at his home by six officers from Kent Police - the very same force he had given ten years of his life to - after he questioned a supporter of pro-Palestine demonstrations on X in November 2023. In the context of a rise in protests at the start of the Israel-Hamas war - and reports of an anti-Semitic mob storming a Russian airport - Mr Foulkes tweeted an activist: 'One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals…' Mr Foulkes was later handcuffed on his own doorstep by uniformed officers equipped with batons and pepper spray. Officers searched his home and made comments on his 'very Brexity' book collection, before detaining the 71-year-old for eight hours. This month, Kent Police confirmed the caution was a mistake and had been removed from Mr Foulkes's record. In a letter sent to Mr Foulkes' solicitors, the force has now repeated an apology from the chief constable Tim Smith for the 'distress caused by the actions of his officers'. It also confirmed Kent Police would agree to an out-of-court settlement after Mr Foulkes launched a legal challenge for wrongful arrest and detention. The letter, sent by a lawyer for the force, read: 'I am instructed to accept the offer of early resolution without recourse to litigation by payment of compensation in the sum of £20,000 plus your client's reasonable legal fees in full and final settlement of all prospective claims arising from his arrest on Nov 2, 2023.' Mr Foulkes told The Telegraph that although he was 'naturally pleased' that Kent Police had apologised, it was 'never about money'. 'For me, it was a simple matter of right and wrong and I now need to see that the full investigation I have been promised takes place and necessary actions are taken to prevent any recurrence,' he said. Previously, Mr Foulkes spoke to MailOnline to reveal he had accepted an offer from the Free Speech Union to fund a lawsuit against Kent Police for wrongful arrest and detention. He said: 'This is absolutely an Orwellian-style thought crime. It's absolutely ridiculous because I sent a tweet which was reasonable in the circumstances and it was a tweet based on events I'd read about just the previous day and in the previous week. 'It was taken out of context and I really can't go through all the failings of Kent police - as much as I'd like to - but it's been quite astonishing to me especially as I served with them for 10 years.' Kent Police misinterpreted his tweet as being anti-Jewish but has since removed the caution from Mr Foulkes' record as well as his biometric data that was stored in police files. Mr Foulkes said previously: 'I sat on it for nine months or so wondering what to do - whether to go public but decided it was best to speak out. 'Career-wise it's not going to hurt me. At my age, I've got no plans to work again so that's not something that affects me. 'In practical terms the worst thing was the injustice and that's the thing I wanted to tackle because there's right and wrong - and I knew they were wrong. 'I got the right result in getting the caution overturned and it's not something Kent Police - indeed any police force do very often.'
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Retired police officer is suing his former workplace after being arrested over 'thought crime' X post
A retired special constable is planning to sue his former police force after they handcuffed him in his own home over a social media post warning about the threat of anti-Semitism in Britain. Julian Foulkes, from Gillingham, was detained at his home by six officers from Kent Police - the very same force he had given ten years of his life to - after he questioned a supporter of pro-Palestine demonstrations on X in November 2023. In the context of a rise in protests at the start of the Israel-Hamas war - and reports of an anti-Semitic mob storming a Russian airport - Mr Foulkes tweeted an activist: 'One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals…' 'Shocked' and 'flabbergasted', Mr Foulkes was later handcuffed on his own doorstep by uniformed officers equipped with batons and pepper spray. The 71-year-old was detained for eight hours, interrogated and issued with a caution. But on Tuesday, Kent Police apologised for the 'distress' caused to one of their former colleagues and deleted the caution from his record. On Sunday, Mr Foulkes accepted an offer from the Free Speech Union to fund a lawsuit against Kent Police for wrongful arrest and detention. 'The FSU and Lord Young have generously agreed to fully fund a lawsuit against Kent Police,' he told The Telegraph. 'I'm extremely grateful for such excellent support and would urge anyone concerned about the sustained attack on free speech to please join the FSU. They're fighting hard every day for all of us.' Mr Foulkes also revealed that he had received a 'personal apology' from the chief constable of Kent Police who phoned him to say the incident would be 'thoroughly investigated'. He added: 'I was appreciative of his apology.' Toby Young, leader of the Free Speech Union, told MailOnline that 'shoplifters and mobile phone thieves are running riot' while police come down on those who speak out 'like a ton of bricks' before eventually recording it as a 'non-crime hate incident'. Mr Young said: 'The police have allowed themselves to become the paramilitary wing of the BBC. 'If you're a progressive liberal activist, particularly if you work in the public sector, the way to silence a pesky gadfly on social media is to report them to the police for 'harassment' or 'causing offence' or 'hate speech'. 'The boys in blue will be down on them like a ton of bricks and after they discover that no crime has been committed - because challenging Left-wing group think isn't actually against the law, at least not yet - they will dutifully record the episode as a 'non-crime hate incident'. 'Meanwhile, shoplifters and mobile phone thieves run riot.' Mr Foulkes's case is the latest in a string of heavy-handed police responses over 'thought crimes', with writers, councillors and even parents talking in school WhatsApp groups targeted in recent months. The term 'thought crime ' gained prominence in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 and refers to an opinion that is considered socially unacceptable due to its perceived threat to those in authority. The crackdown on free speech has triggered a furious response from critics who say police should prioritise their time on criminals rather than treating Britain like an 'Orwellian' state. Condemning the arrest of Mr Foulkes, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said last night: 'Arresting a 71 year old man and holding him for hours in a police cell over a tweet that was obviously not criminal is completely unacceptable. 'The Police should spend their time catching actual criminals, not policing offence on Twitter.' Mr Foulkes' ordeal started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, which saw 1,200 people killed and over 250 taken hostage. The retaliatory strikes by Israel, which led to a full-blown war, sparked several pro-Palestine marches in London. The retired policeman had been told by his Jewish friends about how they felt unsafe travelling to the bustling city. Later that October, he had become increasingly worried having reports of mobs storming an airport in Dagestan, Russia to intercept Israeli citizens. So, the next day when he saw a post from an account called Mr Ethical, which read: 'Dear @SuellaBraverman – as someone who was on one of the 'hate marches', if you call me an antisemite I will sue you,' he felt inclined to respond. He responded to the tweet saying: 'One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals…' He claimed he had never been in contact with the account prior, and was warning of possible escalation with the on-going pro-Palestinian protests. Looking back on the incident, the retired policeman said the message wouldn't have been unclear if he had written 'What next? You are...' at the beginning of the response. However he argued that even without the four extra words, his message was a clear warning regarding the escalation of anti-Semitism. On November 1 his posted was flagged to Kent Police by the Metropolitan Police Intelligence Command, due to 'concerns around online content' - unbeknownst to Mr Foulkes. His tweet had only been viewed 26 times. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp told police to 'spend their time catching actual criminals', while columnist Allison Pearson, who was quizzed by police over a social media post herself, described it as 'Stasi Britain' The next day six police officers arrived at Mr Foulkes' door, leaving him 'totally shocked' and 'flabbergasted' as he was placed into handcuffs on his very own doorstep. Bodycam footage of the incident in November 2023, shows officers describing the 71-year-old's books and literature scattered around his home as 'very Brexity things', according to The Telegraph. Police also raised worries over a shopping list, written by the retired man's hairdresser wife, which included items such as bleach, tin foil and gloves, whilst they seized Mr Foulkes electronic devices from his home. They also searched through most of his personal items, including newspaper clippings about the funeral and police probe into the death of his daughter Francesca, who was killed by a drunk driver in a hit-and-run tragedy in Ibiza 15 years ago. One officer was allegedly heard saying: 'Ah. That's sad,' as she rummaged through the old articles about his late daughter, before he was put in a police cell for eight hours. After hours of interrogation on suspicion of malicious communication, the ex-police officer accepted a warning as he worried it could affect any future visits to see his daughter who resides in Australia. 'My life wouldn't be worth living if I couldn't see her. At the time, I believed a caution wouldn't affect travel, but a conviction definitely would,' he said. He added: 'That's about the level of extremist I am… a few Douglas Murray books and some on Brexit.' On Sunday, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman told The Telegraph: 'We live in dangerous times when the police investigate speaking the truth. 'This outrageous and sorry episode shows not only that freedom of speech is under attack in the UK, but that it's in crisis. Law-abiding people should not be investigated for non-existent thought crimes.' Meanwhile Mr Foulkes' solicitor, Matthew Elkins, said: 'The police face an almost impossible task monitoring social media, and they won't enjoy being labelled the thought police, but when someone like Julian is dragged from his home the cap appears to fit.' In January, a couple were hauled behind bars for eight hours after they were arrested over WhatsApp messages they had sent about their child's school. Maxie Allen, 50, and Rosalind Levine, 46, from Borehamwood, thought their eldest daughter had died when six police officers swooped on their home. Ms Allen's first thought was 'pure relief' when she was instead arrested. The couple were detained by Hertfordshire Police officers in front of their three-year-old daughter. Their family home was searched as the pair were questioned on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications and causing a nuisance on school property. Their crime was to send a few mocking and sarcastic comments about the recruitment process of a new headteacher at the primary school attended by their eldest daughter. A five-week investigation concluded that no action would be taken. 'It was hard to shake off the sense that I was living in a police state,' Ms Allen previously told MailOnline. Just a few days later, there was another curious case in which a mother-of-two was left to stew in a police cell for more than seven hours after she confiscated two iPads belonging to her children. Vanessa Brown, a 50-year-old history teacher, was searched and had custody photographs and fingerprints taken after she was accused of theft when she confiscated her daughters' devices to ensure they were not distracted from their studies. Surrey Police, who also visited the children's school, pulling one of Ms Brown's daughters out of class, have since acknowledged their error. The force said they swooped after getting a report of an alleged theft from a man in his 40s. Ms Brown was apprehended at her mother's home in Cobham, Surrey. Officers said a tracking device showed the iPads were at the address and she was 'detained after refusing to cooperate.' She was eventually returned home, only after a 12-hour ordeal that, due to her bail conditions, threatened to prevent her from seeing her children on Mother's Day. Helen Jones (pictured) had called for the resignation of local councillors embroiled in the WhatsApp scandal exposed by The Mail on Sunday In February, the Mail on Sunday revealed how two police officers visited a grandmother at her own home after she criticised Labour politicians on Facebook. Helen Jones was questioned by officers after she called for local councillors embroiled in the Labour WhatsApp group chat scandal to resign. 'It was actually quite scary. It made me think I best just keep quiet for the rest of my life, because you just can't say anything these days,' she said at the time. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith described the police action as 'pathetic' and called them the 'thoughtless thought police', adding: 'It's a waste of police time. It's absurd that they went to speak to her. They should have dismissed it on the spot.' There were also two incidents last November where writers were questioned by police over their social media posts. One of those was Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson, who was investigated over a tweet she had posted, and then quickly deleted, a year prior in November 2023. Ms Pearson revealed officers from Essex Police knocked on her door on Remembrance Day last November to inform her that she was at the centre of a probe over allegedly stirring up racial hatred on social media. However, they could not give her any details about what post was being investigated or who complained. Essex Police dropped its investigation after the force was advised by Crown Prosecution Service lawyers that it's case failed to meet the evidential test. 'I was obviously shocked and devastated in the first place to have had the police on my doorstep on Remembrance Sunday, of all days, telling me I had put something up on social media which they said was stirring up racial hatred,' she told the Mail at the time. Ms Pearson has also reacted to the arrest of Mr Foulkes, posting: 'Police are out of control. In Stasi Britain, Julian Foulkes, a retired police officer, was handcuffed, home searched, because he tweeted his concern about anti-semitism. 'Why don't police care about 'Jew haters'?' In a similar case that emerged days later after Ms Pearsons, leading feminist writer Julie Bindel was paid a visit by two Metropolitan Police officers after a 'transgender man from Holland' reported one of her social media posts. Feminist author Julie Bindel then revealed she 'sent police packing' when they visited her home to investigate one of her tweets as a 'hate crime'. She said she was told by two Metropolitan Police officers that a 'transgender man' from Holland had reported one of her social media posts Ms Bindel – like Ms Pearson – said she was given limited details about the complaint. Police would not reveal which tweet prompted it, the identity of the complainant or what type of hate crime was being investigated, Ms Bindel said. The author and journalist, a prominent critic of gender ideology, refused to co-operate, describing the police response as 'Orwellian'. Recalling the visit on a Sunday in 2019 in an article for The Sunday Telegraph, Ms Bindel said: 'I was able to send the two officers packing, without their visit even spoiling my lunch. 'The officers left looking a little bewildered. I did have a sense that they understood what a ridiculous mission they have been sent on. I advised that they could better use their time investigating rape and domestic violence.' The latest incident involving Mr Foulkes has yet again triggered outrage, with many quick to throw their support behind the 71-year-old. One wrote: 'The thought police waging war on the common man is bad enough but on one of their very own former officers is shameful.' And in a reference to Orwell's dystopian novel, another posted: '1984 is here.' Kent Police have since confessed the decision to give Mr Foulkes a caution was a mistake and have wiped it off the 71-year-old's record. Mr Foulkes has since aired his concerns in what he believes to be an attack on freedom of speech, quipping: 'I saw Starmer in the White House telling Trump we've had it in the UK for a very long time, and I thought, 'Yeah, right.' We can see what's really going on.' Divulging that he had never experienced 'anything like this' during his time on the force, he added that a 'woke mind virus' was infecting everything, including the police. Although his cuffs were later removed after an ex-coworker recognised him at the station, it was only the beginning for Mr Foulkes, as he saw colleagues rummage some of the most private parts of his home. Following fears of neighbours thinking the worst, or being unable to see his surviving daughter again, the lowest moment came when Mr Foulkes attended the police station on November 10, so he could be given a caution. Despite feeling as though he had no choice at the time, a year later the burden of having not challenged the decision continued to plague his thought, and eventually he sought legal council. And although the caution has since been deleted on Tuesday, the repercussions have been devastating for the pensioner, who says its cost him money he 'can't afford', whilst also marring his memories of serving Kent Police for over a decade. While he initially accepted an unconditional caution, a Kent Police statement said a 'review of the case by the force concluded that the caution was not appropriate in the circumstances'. 'Kent Police apologise to Mr Foulkes for the distress caused and how the report was investigated,' the statement said. 'We have expunged the caution from his record and are pleased to facilitate this correction.' A review will be undertaken to identify 'learning opportunities', police confirmed. A Home Office spokesman said: 'This incident occurred under the previous government. 'The Home Secretary has made clear that she believes all police forces should be focused on the central priorities of the Government's Safer Streets Mission, including rebuilding neighbourhood policing, reducing anti-social behaviour, and making progress towards the unprecedented ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls within a decade.
Telegraph
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Police face lawsuit after former officer arrested over ‘thought crime' tweet
A retired special constable is preparing to sue Kent Police after being arrested over a social media post warning about rising anti-Semitism. Julian Foulkes, from Gillingham in Kent, was handcuffed at his home by six officers from the force he had served for a decade after replying to a pro-Palestinian activist on X. The 71-year-old was detained for eight hours, interrogated and ultimately issued with a caution after officers visited his home on Nov 2 2023. On Tuesday, Kent Police confirmed that the caution was a mistake and had been deleted from Mr Foulkes's record, admitting that it was 'not appropriate in the circumstances and should not have been issued'. On Sunday, Mr Foulkes accepted an offer from the Free Speech Union to fund a legal challenge against the force for wrongful arrest and detention. 'The FSU and Lord [Toby] Young have generously agreed to fully fund a lawsuit against Kent Police,' he said. 'I'm extremely grateful for such excellent support and would urge anyone concerned about the sustained attack on free speech to please join the FSU. They're fighting hard every day for all of us.' Mr Foulkes also revealed that Kent Police's Chief Constable had phoned him on Sunday to offer a 'personal apology for the ordeal I endured' and to tell him the incident would be 'thoroughly' investigated. He added: 'I was appreciative of his apology.' His case is the latest in a series of heavy-handed police responses to lawful expression. Last year, The Telegraph revealed that its columnist Allison Pearson was questioned at home by two officers over an X post following pro-Palestinian protests. In March, officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary arrested and detained the parents of a nine-year-old girl after they had complained about her school in a WhatsApp group, before concluding that no further action was required. Police body-worn camera footage captured officers scrutinising Mr Foulkes''s collection of books by authors such as Douglas Murray, a Telegraph contributor, and issues of The Spectator, pointing to what they described as 'very Brexity things'. Officers also rifled through private items including newspaper clippings about the death of his daughter Francesca, who was killed in a hit-and-run by a drunk driver in Ibiza 15 years ago. Though he had committed no offence, he accepted the caution in a state of shock, fearing that any further escalation could affect his ability to visit his surviving daughter in Australia. 'I didn't agree, but I felt I had no choice,' he said. 'In hindsight, it would never have gone to court. The CPS wouldn't touch it with no evidence. But I wasn't thinking logically at the time.' He said the ordeal had left him with post-traumatic stress-type symptoms and had 'trashed' his memories of volunteering for the force. 'It's like PTSD. You push it to the back of your mind, but it comes back and you relive it,' he said. His X post, sent two days before police visited his home, was a reaction to news reports of an anti-Semitic mob storming an airport in Dagestan, Russia, looking for Jewish passengers. It was a reply to an activist threatening to sue Suella Braverman, the then home secretary, for calling London pro-Palestinian demonstrations 'hate marches'. In the post, Mr Foulkes wrote: 'One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals…' He later said it would have been better had it begun 'What next? You are…', but said his meaning was clear regardless. However, on Nov 1, the Metropolitan Police Intelligence Command flagged the tweet to Kent Police, citing 'concerns around online content'. The post had just 26 views, and had not been reported by the public. The next day, six officers arrived at his home, armed with batons and pepper spray. He was arrested, booked, fingerprinted, photographed and swabbed for DNA. 'Kent Police decided to interpret my post as anti-Jewish,' he said. 'But it was the exact opposite. If they'd looked at the full thread, they'd have understood. It would have taken two minutes. I told them there was more to it, but they didn't pause the interview to check.' In the police interview, he denied five times that he intended to cause distress, 'but that was just ignored'. The force did not initially apologise to Mr Foulkes in its statement to The Telegraph, instead saying the episode had 'provided learning opportunities'. But following publication of the story on Saturday, it amended its statement to add: 'Kent Police apologise to Mr Foulkes for the distress caused and how the report was investigated.' Mr Foulkes told The Telegraph: 'Up to that point I had had no direct apology from Kent Police – in fact, no communication at all since 2023. Elton John said 'sorry seems to be the hardest word', which certainly seems appropriate in the circumstances. 'This morning, however, I received a call from Kent Chief Constable Tim Smith, who offered his personal apology for the ordeal I endured and vowed to thoroughly investigate the failings. I was appreciative of his apology.' Mr Foulkes's police record was only deleted after he engaged Matthew Elkins, the director of Legisia Legal Services. He said he was looking for a lawyer 'with a proven track record in removing cautions', and described the successful submission as 'excellent'. Mr Elkins told The Telegraph that the case 'highlights a need for the police to take stock, and to make freedom of expression their starting point – our freedoms won't be taken from us suddenly, but by the quiet and gradual criminalisation of our conscience'. In the past 24 hours, Mr Foulkes has received dozens of offers to help fund his case, but asked that donations be made only via an official FSU appeal launched on Sunday. Lord Young, the FSU co-founder, called the case 'inexcusable' and said: 'He should not have been arrested, he should not have been locked in a cell for eight hours, and he should not have been cautioned. 'Kent Police have acknowledged they made a mistake and expunged the caution, but that isn't good enough. They now need to pay Julian substantial compensation and, with help from our legal team and a top solicitor in the form of Luke Gittos, we're going to make sure he gets it. 'Kent Police need to understand that if they put people through this kind of ordeal merely for exercising their right to lawful free speech, there will be serious consequences. They need to stop policing our tweets and start policing our streets.' Arresting a 71 year old man and holding him for hours in a police cell over a tweet that was obviously not criminal is completely unacceptable The Police should spend their time catching actual criminals, not policing offence on Twitter — Chris Philp MP (@CPhilpOfficial) May 10, 2025 On Saturday night, both Mrs Braverman and Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, expressed their support for Mr Foulkes. Mr Philp called the arrest 'completely unacceptable'. Mrs Braverman said it was an 'outrageous and sorry episode', adding:'Law-abiding people should not be investigated for non-existent thought crimes.' The FSU is currently supporting several high-profile free speech cases. This month it overturned a six-match ban handed to women's footballer Cerys Vaughan, who had asked a 'bearded' opponent if they were a man. Next week, it will support Lucy Connolly's sentencing appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice. Ms Connolly, the wife of a Conservative councillor, is serving 31 months in prison for a social media post calling for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire. Since the last general election, FSU membership has more than doubled, to 29,000. It now employs 28 staff, including a five-strong legal team, and is handling around 250 active cases, 65 involving live legal proceedings.
