Conviction Overturned for Metropolitan Officer Fined in Bus Fare Arrest Case

Conviction Overturned for Metropolitan Officer Fined in Bus Fare Arrest Case

A Metropolitan Police officer who was fined £1,500 for assaulting a woman during a disputed bus fare arrest has had his conviction overturned.

PC Perry Lathwood, 50, was previously found guilty of assaulting Jocelyn Agyemang in front of her young son in Croydon on 21 July last year. Ms. Agyemang, who was dropping her son at her mother’s house, had been asked by ticket inspectors to prove she had paid her bus fare after alighting.

She reportedly asked the inspector to walk with her due to being in a hurry. However, PC Lathwood, from East Sussex, grabbed her arm to stop her, leading to an altercation in which Ms. Agyemang sustained bruises and was handcuffed. A video of the incident, widely circulated on social media, captured her protesting: “Can you get off my arm? I’ve done nothing wrong.”

The trial heard that after her Oyster card payment was confirmed by another officer, Ms. Agyemang was released. Despite being convicted earlier this year, Lathwood’s conviction was quashed by Southwark Crown Court on appeal.

Ms. Agyemang described the experience as “deeply humiliating” in a victim impact statement, accusing Lathwood of showing contempt and calling her a “daft cow.”

Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe acknowledged the divisive nature of the case, particularly within black communities in Croydon. She emphasized that while there was valuable learning from the incident, the officer’s acquittal should be respected. Lathwood remains on restricted duties pending an internal misconduct review.

Conviction Overturned for Metropolitan Officer Fined in Bus Fare Arrest Case