A PONTYPOOL pensioner couple were awarded £20,250 compensation yesterday after a judge found they were unlawfully arrested by Gwent Police in 2008.

Ahearing at Cardiff County Court was told officers arrested Jean and William Quigley on May 8, 2008, because they suspected they had stolen a tractor, a compressor and a horse box.

The couple told the Argus an armed police officer arrived at their Talywain farm saying a tracer device fitted to stolen equipment was showing up on their land.

The officer carried out a number of police checks on machinery and said one of the items – a compressor box – showed up on the database as being stolen.

Mrs Quigley, now 68, was then handcuffed and arrested on suspicion of theft at around 4.40pm and taken to Pontypool police station, where she was placed in a cell.

Mr Quigley, now 73, who was not at the farm at the time, was arrested two hours later and detained at the police station.

Doberman breeder Mrs Quigley claims she was interviewed once by police, despite being told she needed to stay for more questioning, and was only allowed home accompanied by officers to feed her dogs.

The pair were released on bail around 3.30pm the next day – more than 20 hours after their arrests. Six weeks later they were told no further action would be taken against them.

The jury awarded £10,500 compensation to Mrs Quigley, £9,000 to her husband and £750 to cover the cost of damaged property.

Relief as ordeal finally ends

SPEAKING after yesterday’s hearing, Mrs Quigley said she was relieved it was all over.

She said: “(At the time) I was in a terrible state. I was dazed, I just couldn’t believe it.

“It was the most traumatic experience of my life. I had never been in a police cell or been through anything like this until then.

“It made me ill afterwards.

“They have never ever apologised that they got it wrong.

“I would not have taken it this far if they had apologised.”

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: “We note the court’s decision and following the outcome, we will now reflect on the findings. It would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.”

Arrest ‘not necessary’

THE jury found in favour of Gwent Police on all matters relating to the arrest, agreeing that PC Gavin Jones had grounds to arrest the couple and that Mr Quigley was told why he was being arrested.

They also rejected Mr and Mrs Quigley’s claims that PC Jones knew a police check on the horse box had shown a stolen generator instead; that Mr Quigley told PC Jones there was a compressor on land he rented to a tenant; and that Mr Quigley gave officers permission to search his van.

But Judge Patrick Curran ruled the arrest was still unlawful because it was not “necessary” under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Arrest seems excessive

THE case of the pensioner couple arrested on suspicion of theft and yesterday awarded more than £20,000 is certainly a curious one.

Officers arrested Jean Quigley at her home, handcuffing her before taking her to the police station.

Her husband William was arrested when he voluntarily attended the police station later the same day. The couple spent 24 hours at the police station being questioned and in cells.

Yesterday a judge awarded them compensation after he ruled they had been unlawfully arrested. This was despite a jury finding in favour of Gwent Police on all matters relating to their arrest.

Judge Patrick Curran ruled the arrest was still unlawful because he said it was not “necessary” under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Quite clearly the police thought they had a right to arrest the couple and the jury backed that.

The judge thought the arrest was unnecessary after hearing the evidence and many would probably agree.

It does appear a little excessive given the nature of the investigation.

It doesn’t seem like an elderly couple would pose too much of a threat and many will be left wondering why such a police operation was needed in the first place.