FAQ Details
Unlawful Arrest or Detention - 435/11
Dated: 15 Jun 2011
Date of request: 09/06/2011
Date of response: 15/06/2011
Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
Thank you for your email dated 9 June 2011 in which you made a request for access to certain information which may be held by Northumbria Police.
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
How many claims of unlawful arrest or detention have you settled in each of the last two financial years ( 09/10 and 10/11) either at court or prior to a court hearing, where a payment has been made to the claimant?
In respect of claims how much compensation was paid out to the claimants in total for each year?
What was the highest single compensation payment made in each financial year in relation to unlawful arrest or detention?
Please note that this question refers to payments made in each financial year irrespective of when the incident actually happened.
In response:
We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I provide a response for your attention.
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted with the Legal Department of Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by Northumbria Police.
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you as follows.
Financial Year 01/04/2009 - 31/03/2010
Number of claims of unlawful arrest or detention settled 01/04/09 - 31/03/10 is 23
Total compensation paid out to claimants 01/04/09 - 31/03/10 is £48,045.00
Highest single compensation payment made 01/04/09 - 31/03/10 is £9,500.00
Financial Year 01/04/2010 - 31/03/2011
Number of claims of unlawful arrest or detention settled 01/04/10 - 31/03/11 is 10
Total compensation paid out to claimants 01/04/10 - 31/03/11 is £39,062.94
Highest single compensation payment made 01/04/10 - 31/03/11 is £19,250.00
The above amounts relate to payments made in each financial year irrespective of when the incident actually happened. Information released in this request supersedes any disclosure given in response to similar requests submitted previously.
The information we have supplied to you is likely to contain intellectual property rights of Northumbria Police. Your use of the information must be strictly in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) or such other applicable legislation. In particular, you must not re-use this information for any commercial purpose.
How to complain
If you are unhappy with our decision or do not consider that we have handled your request properly and we are unable to resolve this issue informally, you are entitled to make a formal complaint to us under our complaints procedure which can be found at: http://www.northumbria.police.uk/foi/disclosurelog/foicomprights.asp
If you are still unhappy after we have investigated your complaint and reported to you the outcome, you may complain directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office and request that they investigate to ascertain whether we have dealt with your request in accordance with the Act.
Yours sincerely
Michael Cleugh
Data Protection and Disclosure Advisor
Direct Dial: 01661 868347