Restraint

[Annlinda]

Today I witnessed a security guard at our local Tesco supermarket restrain a woman who had been banned from the shop for theft. She was held on the ground face down her right arm was forced up her back and the mans knee was on her back. She was held like this for 2 or 3 minutes. 3 other Tesco security workers were standing next to the woman laughing at her I was about to intervene when the woman was allowed up. She was about 5'2" tall slightly built the security guard was at least 15stone and 6'tall I don't think that this man was using reasonable force any comments before I write to Tesco would be appreciated .

[Ethel]

Did you see what went on before?

Unless you actually saw the whole thing - do nothing.

It's for her to make a complaint if she chooses to.

However, if you did see the whole thing and did not see any resistance or attack from her, by all means write to tesco and complain.

[Annlinda]

It was at the entrance, she was trying to get into the shop even though she was banned. She did offer feeble resistance but the sheer force from this man worried me.

[almcd007]

Well if she was banned - she was banned. She shouldn't have attempted to enter, he no doubt told her not to enter and if she defied him he's well within his rights to restrain her. Just because she's five foot two doesn't mean she can't be violent or pack a punch. She will be known to these guards and he might not be taking any chances - she might have used a weapon before in previous confrontations - they know the law and are obviously very vareful in this compensation culture.

Without the full picture it's difficult to judge. I hope he sat on her and she now thinks twice about re-entering the shop, for my and your safety and the high percentage of goods stolen from these shops daily.

[dannydingbat]

I have experience of a man banned from a nightclub who tried to get in with a petrol bomb under his coat. What with the guy who wanted to blow up half of Ireland yesterday. Tried to get in when she knew she was banned? Not a very deep thinker I suspect . With a stupid person like that to deal with, who can tell what the need for restraint was.

[noxlumos]

From what you've said it sounds heavy handed and unneceassry to me. You saw it, we didn't, if you think it was out of order complain.

[joko]

they will likely have the whole thing on cctv so they will know what happened previously and whether he acted unnecessarily

[almcd007]

If someone sees only half the story it's unfair to judge the security guard by what you saw. You might have missed the threatening, abusive, violence that preceded her being restrained. If she had been any of those things, I'd rather restrain a person like that as competently and as quickly as possible, if she looks like trying to defy your request for her to go away, than to go in half hearted and risk getting knifed, bottled (which happened in our an ASDA near us recently by a respectful owner of an ASBO) or worse.