Andrea Pennington

Hatfield gran sues police for £250 million

Exclusive report by Kelly-Ann Kiernan , Chief Reporter Monday, April 16, 2012
6:30 AM

A GRANDMOTHER claims she has sued Herts police for £250 MILLION after a year-long battle with the force.

Andrea Pennington

Andrea Pennington from Hatfield believed she was wrongfully arrested in March last year and mounted a bizarre legal challenge.

But her allegations and the validity of her “commercial lien” are all strongly denied by the police.

Ms Pennington claims her watch and glasses were broken when she was dragged out of her car and handcuffed.

The Harmony Close resident alleges she was accused of stealing her own car, which she was using to take her disabled son home.

"We are aware of the claims being made against the constabulary by this individual.
However, we do not accept that any of these claims have any basis in law and we have been in correspondence with the claimant to explain our position.
While we do not accept the legality of this case, we respect the claimant’s right to make a complaint against the force.
All complaints are taken seriously and are properly considered by the constabulary."

Hertfordshire Constabulary’s spokeswoman

Speaking to the WHT, Ms Pennington said: “I called out to my son to help me, but he is paralysed, that really upset me.”

A police spokeswoman said they had good reason to stop the car as it did not have valid tax, and the driver failed to co-operate.

The Hindu woman, who does not drink tea, coffee or alcohol, took two breath tests at the police station, both came back clear.

Ms Pennington was taken back to the village of Albury, near Bishop’s Stortfold, where she says her 23-year-old son had been left by the side of the road, “shivering”.

The police said her son was offered to be taken home.

Ms Pennington took the unusual step of a mounting a legal challenge called a commercial lien against Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire constabularies and individual officers.

On Wednesday, she visited police HQ in Stanborough Road, WGC, to deliver legal paperwork. She believes she has a valid claim for £250m.

Ms Pennington said: “All I wanted was my watch and glasses replaced and a sorry.”