Officers accused of breaking football fan's eye socket

A senior anti-terror cop and a member of the Royal Protection squad could face trial accused of breaking a football fan's eye socket and then faking witness statements.
Keith Darcy. Photo: SWNSKeith Darcy. Photo: SWNS
Keith Darcy. Photo: SWNS

The two officers, along with a third, were all serving members of the Territorial Support Group at the time of the alleged assault on Spurs Anthony Lovell at the Tottenham v Arsenal game at the White Hart Lane in October 2011.

They are alleged to have then faked witness statements and lied in court when giving evidence in a subsequent trial.

Inspector Paul Wakeford, 49, of Cambridgeshire, PC Keith Darcy, 39, of Leighton Buzzard, and PC Danny Hargan, 37, of Milton Keynes, all appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday accused of actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice.

Pc Danny Hargan. Photo: SWNSPc Danny Hargan. Photo: SWNS
Pc Danny Hargan. Photo: SWNS

Prosecutor Voratida Sangchant said: “These gentlemen face two counts, perverting the course of justice and ABH. The prosecution ask the matter be sent up to the crown court.”

At the time of the incident all three of them were part of the Territorial Support Group (TSG) and were on duty during the local derby football match, which Spurs won 2-1.

During the game Spurs fans moved towards the police lines and were eventually moved back by the TSG officers. The fan, Mr Lovell, alleged that during the clash and his later arrest he suffered a fractured eye socket.

Insp Wakeford is now based with SCO19 in Whitechapel, the elite rapid reaction force unveiled in August to protect against a rolling terror attack in London.

Insp Paul Wakefield. Photo: SWNSInsp Paul Wakefield. Photo: SWNS
Insp Paul Wakefield. Photo: SWNS

PC Darcy is based at the Royalty and Specialist Protection in Lambeth while PC Hargan is based with the Taskforce in Wapping.

The Metropolitan Police say the summonses follow an investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

It is alleged in perverting the course of justice they “did a series of acts, namely the creation of a hand-written witness statement in an Evidence/Actions book on the 2nd October 2011 and the subsequent giving of evidence at the Magistrates Court in the trial of R. v. Anthony Lovell on the 30th April 2012 , which had a tendency to pervert the course of public justice.”

The three officers were all granted unconditional bail to appear at Southwark Crown Court on November 3.