A jury has decided three police officers did not wrongly arrest and imprison a couple after a drunken brawl in a kebab shop.

After two hours of deliberation the five men and three women ruled against the civil claim of Paul and Janet Peters at Southend Crown Court.

The couple, of Woodburn Close, Hadleigh, had sued Essex Police for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

The week-long case at Southend Crown Court centred around an incident outside a kebab shop in Long Road, Canvey, in July 1996.

The police were called by the owner of the shop after a fight inside involving Mr Peters.

When officers tried to speak to him he swore at them and tried to walk away.

PC Laura Heggie grabbed his arm to stop him but he snapped it back and punched her in the chest.

The officer and colleagues PC Brian Treadgold and PC Rodney Kelly drew their batons and hit Mr Peters at least six times as he advanced on them saying their blows did not hurt.

Eventually he was wrestled to the ground by the officers and arrested. Mrs Peters was also arrested for obstruction.

Mervyn Roberts, representing the couple, had claimed Mr Peters had not been arrested and was within his rights to break free from PC Heggie's intrusion on his liberty.

He said the officers used excessive force in restraining his client and had never told him why he was being arrested.

Mrs Peters was said to have been arrested for trying to find out what was happening to her husband.

However, John Beggs, for Essex Police, dismissed the claims, saying: "What actually happened here is Mr Peters and his wife went on a massive drinking binge. It's bad enough to punch a male officer but it's unforgivable to punch a female.

"Nowadays there is an increased number of people who don't want to take responsibility for themselves."

He added: "People jump on a bandwagon saying 'I'll have a bit of that and get some money'. This is a disgraceful claim."

After the verdict Mr Roberts applied for leave to appeal against the decision.

Judge Gordon Rice, presiding, turned this application down, saying: "I do not think the plaintiffs in this case should be further encouraged to pursue this litigation and therefore I do not give leave to appeal."

Speaking after the verdict Insp Paul Everett, of Benfleet police, said: "The court has heard how officers were called to deal with a man who had been involved in a violent incident.

"This man was drunk and abusive to the officers and directed that violence towards them, a policewoman being injured in the process.

"They remained calm, responding using the recognised training, which is why he did not receive any long-term serious injuries."

He added: "Quite properly the officers have been vindicated by the court."

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