Sussex Police officers charged with assault of detained man
By Megan Baker
Published 7th Nov 2026, 16:16 GMT
Two police officers have been charged with assault after allegedly using ‘unlawful force' on a man detained under the Mental Health Act, according to a watchdog.
PC Richard Harris, 36, and PC Lorenzo Fenu, 28, will appear in court on November 10, jointly charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. It follows an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
An IOPC spokesperson said: “The charge relates to an incident on April 16, 2026, when the officers allegedly used unlawful force on a man, who had been detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act, and injured him.
“We began our investigation following a mandatory referral from the force.
"At the end of our investigation in September, we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorised the charges.”