A police car was parked outside the ticket office at the station this morning. A perp was spreadeagled on the bonnet, held down by two officers who were struggling to put handcuffs on him.

“What have I done? Why are you arresting me?” he yelled.

“You have been intimidating, threatening and abusive to station staff here, which is an offence”. I couldn’t hear the remaining offences being listed over the yells of his detainee.

“I don’t need fucking handcuffs,” the perp cried out, doing his best to resist arrest. “Get them off me!”

The policeman slammed¹ the perps head down against the chassis of the car. “We think you do,” he said through grated teeth.

As I walked past I thought to myself that they were being a bit harsh and that they were impinging his civil liberties by forcibly arresting him in such a manner. What he probably needs more than being dragged off and slapped in handcuffs is an open ear to listen to his needs and understand his challenges.

Actually, that’s a lie. What I really thought was “Ha! I hope the chav² scum gets what he deserves. Little bastard!”

The wife turned to me. “I’ve never seen anyone being arrested before.”

“Shhhh! Don’t look!” I whispered and hurried past, head down, trying to not stare in case it appeared that I was trying in anyway to obstruct the course of justice.

¹Dramatic over exaggeration. There was no evidence of any police brutality at all during the arrest. Unfortunately.
²Right down to the very classy Burberry cap. I kid ye not.