Cop under criminal probe after Sex Education star ‘pepper-sprayed & kicked by officers in wrongful arrest’
A POLICE officer is under criminal investigation after a Sex Education star was allegedly pepper-sprayed and kicked by officers.
Reece Richards claimed he was wrongfully arrested in front of his screaming mum after being mistaken for a suspect.
The actor, who plays Eugene in the hit Netflix show, also said he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid, thrown to the ground and kicked.
He said the incident made it “painfully clear that racial profiling remains a significant issue”.
The Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) today confirmed a police officer is under criminal investigation for potential assault.
The same cop is also being probed for gross misconduct, while a second officer is being investigated for potential misconduct.
Richards posted on his Instagram about the arrest in September as he left a performance of Hairspray The Musical in London.
The actor said he had witnessed a car crash and two males fleeing the scene before police mistook him for being involved.
He claimed he directed officers to the suspects but the cop instead said he was under arrest.
In a video he shared on Instagram, the model appears to be told to “stay where you are” by an officer threatening him with pepper spray.
Richards, who also played Kenneth in You, says he was then “kicked” and “handcuffed” with footage showing four cops on top of him.
In the recording, the performer can be heard in distress and shouting in pain on the pavement as more officers attended.
Richards wrote: “In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground.
“I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs, and stomach.
“I couldn’t see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go.
“That feeling of helplessness will never leave me.
“The whole experience was embarrassing, deeply upsetting, and exhausting.”
The Met Police said at the time officers had been pursuing three men, who ran from a car that crashed after failing to stop.
They confirmed Richards was “de-arrested as it was established by officers at the scene that he was not involved”.
As Eugene in Netflix’s huge hit Sex Education, Reece played the love interest of Vivienne “Viv” Odusanya, played by Chinenye Ezeudu.
He has played West End roles as Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye in Motown: The Musical.
He is also a professional dancer, amateur athlete and model and has appeared in commercials for JD Sports, Ted Baker and Not On The High Street.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “Our investigation into the incident on Fulham Palace Road, West London on September 4 is ongoing.
“The investigation is looking into the use of force by Met Police officers during the arrest of a man, who was later de-arrested.
“In November, we advised an officer that they were under criminal investigation for the potential offence of common assault.
“The same officer is also being investigated for potential gross misconduct and a second officer is being investigated for potential misconduct.
“This does not mean that disciplinary or criminal proceedings will necessarily follow.
“At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings and whether any referral should be made to the Crown Prosecution Service.”