In The Name Of The Law?

By David Green

Karen Stapleton was once an officer with Merseyside police, after a number of years of service, she decided to change route - going to university taking a BA in Law then a Masters degree in Criminal Justice - researching corruption - in Merseyside police. That was, until one night, according to Karen, both she and her husband were attacked by two police constables from Merseyside police leaving Karen disabled and her career in tatters. She was later arrested and charged with ‘assault’ and ‘breach of the peace’.

Can you give us a little background as to why you joined Merseyside police?

Well I was a child of a family of eight children, born into a working class environment. My parents worked hard and I hardly ever saw my father due to his long hours at work. It was a relatively good life. After leaving school I started work as a sales assistant, and quickly progressed to manageress in a leading confectionary chain. It had always been my ambition to join the police so at nineteen I did just that. It went well at the start, regular police officers trusted me as I was courting one of their own, a constable with some service. I chose the experience to see what policing was like and if it suited me. But within a short time my eyes were well and truly opened.

What do you mean?

Well unless you fitted in the social circle you were treated wearily. At St Anne's Street, where I was based, the specials there seemed more pre-occupied with drinking and having sex in the toilets with married or courting police officers than anything else. I was also shocked at the expectations of some regular police officers, some of whom stated very clearly that if I was to be accepted I would have to lie on oath. Some people may think I was naïve, and I suppose I was, but I wasn't prepared to do this. Before I joined the police I never believed that police officers lied or attacked detained persons in police vans but they did, sometimes brutally. I had also seen police officers perform thefts, assault prisoners and take certain possessions off remand prisoners in the Main Bridewell, and on many occasions drive police cars whilst being drunk. They used to test themselves on the Lion Intoximeter to see how drunk they were. It was totally embarrassing as they always failed the test.

So what did you do then?

I decided very quickly that Merseyside Police was not for me so I successfully applied to another force. The only support I ever received was from a superintendent who explained to me that to get on in the police service your ambition must be ruthless and that sometimes you may see or witness things that you should not discuss as this was a sure way to remain a constable or 'uniform-carrier' as he succinctly put it. Anyway, to cut a long story short I did become a police officer, I travelled parts of the country in what was an arrest process team who processed information for the courts. I liked the people I worked with and decided to study for my promotion boards. I did this for some years then left to bring up my family and spend time with my husband. I went to University studying law and then progressed to Masters in Criminal Justice researching corruption in Merseyside Police. I loved what I was doing; it involved research and a lot of time and patience. We lived the true middle class life. It was perfect; that was until October 27th 2002 at 1am when my dreams were shattered.

Can you tell us what happened that night?

I was on my way to bed when our exterior security system had come on. I opened the front door and stepped into our driveway and saw two males sneaking down the rear of the house; I shouted at them to get out. I was then confronted by a tall and very wild male wearing a police uniform. I asked him what he was doing and he roared "Who the fuck are you telling to get out, I'm a police officer, shut the fuck up you fat slag". I repeated my request and asked him to leave. I was shaking, the man was totally irate. Afraid, I turned to walk back into the house when he punched me squarely between my shoulders, I fell to the ground and then he literally battered me, at some stage I think I became unconscious but can't remember it all. He handcuffed me in an illegal manner then indecently assaulted me in front of five witnesses. He lay on my back grappling and gripping my breasts. It was disgusting; I could feel his erection in my back. All the time he was laughing. He tortured me with the handcuffs and twisted my arms so badly that after nearly a year I am unable to work and have been declared disabled. My husband was attacked by the other police officer who had now entered the house. My three children witnessed this incident. The abuse continued throughout the night, when they arrested me and took me to the police station. That night left me with some horrific injuries both mentally and physically. I have had to postpone my finals for Masters. I don't think I shall ever really get over the attack.

What happened after the arrest?

Well they charged me with assault and breach of the peace. The police then lost vital evidence in the hope that it would not come to court, but despite that the Crown Prosecution service, who I know perpetrate police corruption at an alarming rate, went ahead and were willing to prosecute me, despite it being proven I did not commit any crime. The arresting officer is seen on videotape trying to bait me, this was after he had tortured and sexually assaulted me. The arresting officer then lied on oath, his partner backed him up and the interviewing officer backed them up. What they failed to remember is that since PACE introduced the videoing of custody areas that their corruptive actions would be played in court. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

What do you think will happen to the police officers?

I doubt any of the officers will receive any real punishment even though the evidence is clear, the police force does not want to be seen to employ liars, thieves, perverts or molesters when clearly they had done. Another real problem I have with all those officers is that as soon as they realised I was a law researcher studying Police corruption they chose not to enter evidence into the file for court which is outrageous. They then altered their stories, withheld evidence or tried to suppress evidence from file when they realised that both my husband and myself had been police officers. Fortunately for us and particularly for me I know what should be entered into files and I know what legal rights are and I know police procedures and legislation. I will have justice even though it has been delayed and I will not rest until those officers have been judicially dealt with. They really should remember the phrase "what goes around comes around" as in their cases I truly shall!
I joined the police as a career. I would have continued and hopefully attained at least the rank of Inspector, but what I've witnessed determines my beliefs that its only a very small percentage of officers that are truly honest, there are some to whom its just a job, but there are others to whom it's a way of life, they abuse the office of constable, they abuse class 'A' drugs and see the uniform or warrant card as a green light for absolute power.

Karen Stapleton was fully acquitted on January 6th, with the Stipendiary judge stating the case against the police was compelling. She is now in the process of suing Merseyside Police.

Editors note: please note the orginal article should have read 'police uniform' not 'full police uniform', the officers in question were not wearing any headgear, this was an Editors mistake and not Ms Stapleton's.