Black bank manager wrongly arrested to sue Met for ‘racial profiling’
Dale Semper says his life was turned upside down by two-year investigation that was dropped
Jamie Grierson
Home affairs correspondent
Mon 22 Jun 2020
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/22/black-bank-manager-wrongly-arrested-dale-semper-sue-met-police-racial-profiling
Dale Semper is a driven man who worked six days a week as a high street bank manager to afford a comfortable lifestyle for himself and his family.
As a black man with an expensive car, he says he was used to being stopped by police.
But in August 2017, he was pulled over by Metropolitan police officers and his life was torn apart – with devastating impact on his job, finances and mental health.
Semper’s lawyer has likened his client’s experience to the 1998 action film Enemy of the State, in which the lead character played by Will Smith has his life turned upside down by authorities without explanation or cause.
Semper and his partner, Denise Huggan, believe the 26-month investigation that ensued – ending in no charges and no action taken – was driven by racial profiling.
Semper, 38, and his legal team say the police could not accept a black man would have money without illegal activity behind it and are preparing to sue the force.
Semper was driving Huggan to the train station in her Mini Paceman on 23 August 2017 when they were pulled over by police. “They rushed up to the car, banging on the window, shouting “get out, get out of the car. They handcuffed me. They said they were arresting me – I said ‘for what? You got the wrong guy’,” Semper recalls.
He was escorted back to his home in Enfield, north London, joined by 15 to 20 police officers. When the officers entered his home, the alarm went off. Semper was standing outside, cuffed, as neighbours poured into the street.
“It was so embarrassing,” he recalls.
Finally, he discovered what the police were searching for: firearms. “I said: ‘Firearms? what are you talking about? I’m a bank manager, what would I be doing with firearms?” You’ve got the wrong guy.’”
No firearms were found. During the search the officers found £1,935 in cash in Semper’s safe – all of which he immediately accounted for as funds for renovating his home.
After Huggan left the property, officers shifted tack, announcing Semper was now being investigated for money laundering.
This, he says, is also when comments from officers started: how does someone like you afford these two cars? How can someone like you live here and be so successful? How can someone like you afford that watch, that car, this home?
It was clear to Semper that by “someone” the officers meant a black person.
Semper was hauled into a police station for interview, where he was able to account for every penny he had earned or spent – from his £72,000 annual salary to his rental income and receipts and invoices for purchases.
He was released from custody – but the nightmare continued. His bank accounts were frozen and he was suspended from work. He discovered officers had searched his partner’s home as well as his 55-year-old mother’s home.
“I had to ask my family and friends for money, to pay my bills. I had to rely on Denise’s salary, her credit cards, my mother, my aunts. Everything came from them.
“That killed me. I was always the one who provided for all of them. I felt like it stripped me of my identity.”
Semper appointed a solicitor, Adam Rasul, to deal with the freeze on his bank accounts. Rasul, a senior partner and pre-charge solicitor at Holborn Adams, represents Semper to this day, and says it is the worst case of malicious prosecution and negligence he has come across.
“That warrant was based on false intelligence,” Rasul said. “At that time, there was nothing, and to this date, no evidence has been provided.”
Following Rasul’s representations, Semper’s accounts were unfrozen in November. But the investigation remained open and he was unable to return to work for 18 months – and when he did it was to a downgraded role, in which he remains today.
Rasul says that throughout 2018 they were building “files longer than the Chronicles of Narnia to explain this case needs to be dropped”.
The effect on Semper’s mental health was devastating. He lost two stone within the first two months and developed post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I’ve had counselling,” he said. “I’m trying to get my head in shape, keeping me sane. We wanted to have children. But because of this whole thing, the strain it’s caused on our relationship, I’m just not feeling it. I just don’t want to do anything.”
Huggan, 39, who works in HR, said: “It’s been hard, it’s been dark, it’s been depressing.”
On 19 February 2019, different officers attended Semper’s home and arrested him on the front door for another allegation under the Firearms Act. But on the same day, they de-arrested him.
It was not until October last year that he was finally told the police had ended the investigation and there was no further action to be taken. They did it over the phone to Rasul with no apology and still no explanation.
After reflecting on their experience for so long, Semper and Huggan turned to thoughts of racism.
“I never thought at the time it could be that,” Semper said. “But I’ll never forget when they said: ‘How can you get to afford something like this? How did you get that?’
“The reason they came for him was racial profiling,” Huggan said. “We’re black so we’re not supposed to try and excel? We do a lot. We work six days a week. We go out and do it because we want to be able to have something in the future.”
A statement from the Met police said: “This matter is being assessed and we will be in correspondence with the claimants’ representatives.
“Given the complaint and potential legal action, it would be inappropriate to comment in detail on this case. However, we recognise the very serious nature of the allegations made and they will be fully investigated.”
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