England and Wales Case Law

Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary (R, on the application of) v Police Misconduct Panel

The Panel's findings on the content and effect of the telephone calls were adequately reasoned and within the range of reasonable decisions, but its decision to impose a final written warning rather than dismissal was inadequately explained and inconsistent with its own findings regarding the failure to follow a superior officer's advice and the seriousness of the harm, thus requiring the outcome decision to be quashed and remitted for reconsideration.

Source excerpt

• Judicial review of disciplinary decisions
• Police misconduct
• Adequacy of reasons
• Sanctions in professional misconduct
• Standard of proof in disciplinary proceedings

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Gabriel Kanter-Webber v The Information Commissioner & Anor

The tribunal refused a FOIA appeal seeking a police misconduct hearing bundle and transcript, holding section 31 applied and the public interest favoured withholding.

• Freedom of information
• Law enforcement exemptions
• Police misconduct
• Public interest test
• Open justice
• Freedom-of-information

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Thompson & Anor, R (On the Application Of) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

Thompson & Anor, R (On the Application Of) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2026] EWHC 915 (Admin) (21 April 2026)

The High Court dismissed a challenge to the Metropolitan Police’s overt live facial recognition policy, holding it was sufficiently clear and constrained under Articles 8, 10 and 11 ECHR.

• Facial recognition technology
• Article 8 echr
• Article 10 echr
• Article 11 echr
• In accordance with the law (iawl)
• Prescribed by law (pbl)

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JXK & Anor v The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police

JXK & Anor v The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police [2026] EWHC 608 (KB) (10 April 2026)

The High Court dismissed a claim against Greater Manchester Police over an officer’s misuse of personal data, finding no close connection for vicarious liability.

• Vicarious liability
• Misfeasance in public office
• Data protection breach
• Summary judgment
• Strike out
• Vicarious-liability

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Vincent v Chief Constable of Kent Police

Vincent v Chief Constable of Kent Police [2026] EWHC 769 (KB) (31 March 2026)

The High Court dismissed an appeal arising from a protest at Ramsgate port, holding that police use of force against a protester was justified and proportionate.

• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of assembly
• Protest rights
• Use of force by police
• Proportionality
• Reasonableness

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AB v Chief Constable of North Wales Police

AB v Chief Constable of North Wales Police [2026] EWCC 11 (27 March 2026)

The court dismissed a false imprisonment and assault claim arising from an arrest for alleged malicious communications, finding the arrest lawful and the force reasonable.

• False imprisonment
• Assault and battery
• Malicious communications
• Lawfulness of arrest
• Use of force by police
• Necessity for arrest

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Clarke v Chief Constable of Northumbria Police

Clarke v Chief Constable of Northumbria Police [2026] EWHC 747 (KB) (27 March 2026)

The High Court allowed a child claimant’s appeal, holding that his arrest at school was not unavoidable and was therefore unlawful under PACE.

• False imprisonment
• Assault
• Arrest of juveniles
• Police powers
• Necessity of arrest
• Reasonable suspicion

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AB v Chief Constable of North Wales Police

The court dismissed a claim for false imprisonment and assault/battery, finding the arrest lawful, necessary, properly explained, and carried out with reasonable force.

• False imprisonment
• Assault and battery
• Malicious communications
• Lawful arrest
• Use of force
• Bail conditions

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Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary, R (On the Application Of) v Police Misconduct Panel

Chief Constable of Derbyshire Constabulary, R (On the Application Of) v Police Misconduct Panel [2026] EWHC 467 (Admin) (09 February 2026)

The High Court quashed the sanction imposed by a police misconduct panel, finding inadequate reasoning for final written warnings, but upheld its findings on the officers' conduct.

• Police misconduct
• Gross misconduct
• Disciplinary proceedings
• Adequacy of reasons
• Sanctions
• Judicial review standards

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Snowball v Chief Constable of Thames Valley & Ors

Snowball v Chief Constable of Thames Valley & Ors [2026] EWHC 210 (KB) (05 February 2026)

The High Court struck out many of a litigant-in-person’s claims against public bodies, including police failure-to-investigate claims, while allowing amended assault, false imprisonment and harassment claims to proceed.

• Harassment
• Assault
• False imprisonment
• Strike out
• Summary judgment
• Abuse of process

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