AN investigation has found a law student’s car was unlawfully taken from him by police.

Harry Prosser, 23, filed a formal complaint against Essex Police officers accusing them of oppressive conduct or harassment, excessive use of force, failures in duty and breach of the stop and search act when his car was taken from him.

The complaint, which was investigated by investigation officer Sue Richardson, was upheld.

It found the officers did not comply with the regulations and as a result the police officer in charge will have to attend a series of refresher trainings including retraining techniques and a stop and search training session.

Ms Richardson’s report states Harry, of Harwich Road, Little Oakley, should receive a letter of apology regarding the incorrect seizure of his vehicle and should be formally advised he has not been reported for having no insurance.

Harry’s car was seized at the Cheers! General Stores, in Parkeston Road, Dovercourt, on January 18 due to “insufficient proof of insurance”, which was later found to be not true.

Harry claims he suffered about £1,400 in damages and lost his job after the incident and has been without a car for more than two months.

Harry, who worked at Homes Bargains in Parkeston, added: “I’m pleased it’s been proven I wasn’t doing anything wrong but at the end of it I still suffered a loss based on failings of the police.

“The incident has stopped me from getting out and about and I suffered with mental health, so it resulted in me not going to work and losing my job.

“Also, when I went to recover my car, I discovered that rats have chewed the insides of the car, so it was completely destroyed.

“In the end I signed the car over to LG transportation in Colchester, where my car was stored, because it was way too expensive for me to recover it.”

Harry said he had to store his car for so long because he only received his full V5 for proof of ownership after seven weeks.

“I was incurring £20 per day in storage fees, which after seven weeks it adds up to quite a bit,” he said. “I paid two months of insurance when I wasn’t even using the car, so in total I suffered £1,400 in damages for insurance and the loss of the car.”