Lincolnshire Police Constable, Alan Kirkwood, is due to appear for a misconduct hearing relating to an alleged assault that unfolded in January 2023. This is in spite of the officer being previously acquitted of criminal charges pertaining to the same incident. The scene unfolded on Danesgate, Lincoln, where PC Kirkwood was in chase of presumed thieves. A case of mistaken identity led to PC Kirkwood wrongly recognising local inhabitant Scott Barratt as one of the thieves.
The allegation centres around PC Kirkwood falling to the ground, subsequently pointing his Taser at Mr Barratt, out walking his dogs, instructing him to drop to the ground, before supposedly kicking him in the face. PC Kirkwood, having promptly realised his error, made his apologies. This was followed by a quick acquittal in his favour by the jury at Nottingham Crown Court.
However, an appeal launched by Mr Barratt has led the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to command Lincolnshire Police to hold a misconduct hearing. A representative from Lincolnshire Police has confirmed that the preparations are in progress, although a date for the hearing is yet to be fixed.
The case brings to mind ongoing debates surrounding the topic of police accountability within the local community. The original version of this story was reported by www.bbc.com, which The Lincoln Post has modified.
