Northamptonshire Police Officer Investigated Over Alleged Perversion of Justice in Arrest Footage Case
A high-ranking officer within Northamptonshire Police is under criminal investigation for allegedly perverting the course of justice. The investigation also involves two other police staff members, focusing on their "engagement with the courts and subsequent statements provided as evidence" during legal proceedings initiated by Nadine Buzzard-Quashie.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed that all three individuals are also being investigated for potential gross misconduct. Northamptonshire Police has declined to comment on the ongoing probes.
Ms Buzzard-Quashie, from London, had sought body-worn video footage of her arrest in Northampton in September 2021, exercising her rights under the Data Protection Act. Northamptonshire Police repeatedly refused to release the footage, compelling her to initiate legal action for contempt of court against Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet.
Mr Balhatchet was subsequently found guilty by the Court of Appeal in November, marking the first such sanction against a chief constable. He was ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling nearly £300,000.
The footage in question depicts Ms Buzzard-Quashie, who had been reported missing, being forced to the ground by two officers. She alleges her face was pushed into stinging nettles and described the treatment as "degrading." Although police charged her with failing to stop, the Crown Prosecution Service ultimately dropped the case.
Criminologists and former police inspectors have raised concerns regarding the police response, which included the deployment of a helicopter and a spike strip, deeming it disproportionate.
Despite orders from the Information Commissioner and a district judge, Northamptonshire Police failed to release the body-worn video. Later, in court, police staff and a senior officer provided sworn statements asserting the requested footage did not exist. However, audit logs obtained by Ms Buzzard-Quashie's legal team demonstrated these claims to be false, revealing that not only did more footage exist, but it had been accessed dozens of times.
The IOPC initiated its investigation following a voluntary conduct referral from Northamptonshire Police on 19 November 2025. Ms Buzzard-Quashie is now pursuing a seven-figure damages claim against the force for assault and wrongful arrest, with her civil trial scheduled for April next year.
