Assaulting a copper

[Andy008]

This is a thoroughly immature question, and probably requires someone of a legal bent to answer...if I punch an off-duty policeman in the pub, and I know he's a copper, what happens?

[El D]

you get arrested immediately for assault by the officer in question. If you have caused any serious damage you will be charged with GBH. If he reveals that he is a policeman and you resist arrest you will be charged with that too. In addition, given the way these things work, you will expect less than preferential treatment.

[Andy008]

Thanks for the answer, but if he's said something to aggravate me, where does that leave me?

[Andy008]

Sorry, I should have put in the last answer, my reason for asking is that last summer I was leaving a pub with a friend when a police officer in the pub (as a customer), attracted his attention. The officer had handled a case when my mate had been arrested as someone had picked him out in the street as having hit with a metal object. My mate was bailed and the case against him was eventually dropped due to lack of evidence. He filed a complaint against the officer for various reasons, and then in the pub the officer mocked his complaint, and proceeded to accuse him of having masturbated in the cell the night he was in custody.

My mate was all geared up to seriously this bloke, and the only thing that stopped him was me holding him back. In hindsight, I'm just curious to know what would have happened had I let him get on with...

[woofgang]

If your mate had witnesses he could have made a formal complaint against the policeman. Any verbal aggravation is not enough to excuse (in law) striking anyone

[Dom Tuk]

I may be wrong on this one but i doubt if an off duty police constable can execute an arrest and issue a caution. He has to call the local police to arrest any person they see fit who will then caution the arrested person to his right to remain silent. If the off duty police officer wants to arrest any person then he can use the powers of citizens arrest (i think) and i am not sure how clear the law is on that point.

[Peter Pedant]

 

The leading case for assaulting an off duty officer is about 100 year old. You get done for assaulting an officer.

Your mate has no real complaint against an officer who is acting on information placed by someone else.

Just forget it. He was arrested, no further action was taken and that was that. I think he was lucky.

You and your mate must learn to go to pubs to drink and have a good time. Ignore it.