Man wins damages in amazing case against police

A judge has handed a Sydney man $3,000 in compensation for being stopped by police for four minutes,.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that District Court judge Matthew Dicker found that the detention constituted “false imprisonment“, even though the police did not arrested or restrain Sam Le at Liverpool train station in January.

The report said that the 24-year-old was asked by two police officers to show them his electronic train ticket as well as his pensioner concession card and photo identification, because the officers suspected Le may have stolen the ticket. In an exchange that Le filmed with his mobile phone, the officer called Le a “smart arse” and said that he was not under arrest but that he was “not leaving” until his identity had been verified.

Le waited four minutes and 15 seconds while the police undertook a check on his identity, the SMH reported.

Le later sued the state of New South Wales for false imprisonment, with the judge finding in his favour, saying that the officer’s suspicion that the ticket was stolen was based on “tenuous” grounds – that he believed Le looked fit and healthy.

Le, who testified that he was on a disability pension, was awarded $3,201 in damages and interest.

Would you have sued over this? Do you think the police behaved fairly or were heavy-handed?