Swansea photographer should be compensated after arrest, union says

A photographer arrested while taking pictures of a crime scene should get compensation, the union representing journalists has said.

Dimitris Legakis saw charges of assaulting an emergency worker dropped before trial.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said police were creating a "hostile environment" for reporters.

South Wales Police said it is investigating a number of complaints in relation to the incident.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) admitted the case against Mr Legakis should have stopped sooner.

On Wednesday, NUJ president Natasha Hirst said: "It's important to see this case was dropped, but I hope that swift action is taken to return all equipment to the photographer, along with an apology and compensation for the appalling treatment he experienced at the hands of the South Wales Police."

She added that NUJ would raise the case with the police, and would continue to urge them to work with the union to "educate their officers on the role and remit of journalists and ensure that incidents like this do not happen again".

"Photographers carry out a vital role in independently documenting events that are in the public interest.

"Yet their safety is often put at risk by members of the public and unfortunately, as in this case, by police officers."

Ms Hirst added that there has been "an alarming number of incidents of police overstepping their powers" with photographers and reporters in recent years, which were "creating an increasingly hostile environment for journalists who are simply trying to do their job".

Mr Legakis, a freelance photographer, who runs the Athena Picture Agency in Swansea, told Newyddion S4C that after his arrest he suffered nightmares and lost income.

"I lost quite a bit of work," he said.

"Even until now, it has affected my mental health badly."

In September last year he got a tip about a car fire on Sketty Lane in his home city and went to take photos at the scene.

The fire, as it turned out, was set by David Clarke who has since been convicted of murdering his 77-year-old wife.

Judge Geraint Walters told the court on Monday it seemed Mr Legakis was arrested after a police officer "took offence" to him taking pictures.

He was held in custody for 15 hours then charged with assaulting an emergency worker, obstructing or resisting a police officer, and a public order offence of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

Judge Walters said "there was no evidential basis" for the charges and the case "raised serious questions".

Mr Legakis said his situation underlined a threat to freedom of the press.

"I don't want to be intimidated by people when I'm trying to go about my business. It's seriously not right."

He believes he is now caught in the middle of "finger pointing" between the police and prosecutors and intends to complain.

"I wish I didn't have to complain," he added.

"Complaining is a long process. It might involve a solicitor. I would like to see the police take action themselves, maybe refer themselves to the IOPC [Independent Office for Police Conduct] and see how things develop."

The CPS said, after a review, it decided there was "no longer sufficient evidence and the prosecution should be stopped" and acknowledged that it "should have happened sooner".

South Wales Police said: "We note the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to offer any evidence in this case."