Man Recounts Humiliating Experience in Police Custody, Part of Inquiry into Greater Manchester Police’s Treatment of Detainees
Mark Dove, a man who was detained by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for an offence for which he was never charged, has shared his harrowing experience of being in custody with the police. In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Mark recounts being kept naked in a cell for eight hours and having to use hot water from the tap to keep warm. He also claims to have heard police officers laughing at him and being denied a blanket unless he behaved, despite not knowing what that meant in a confined cell.
Mark believes that he was targeted by the police after calling an officer racist and refusing to answer his questions, feeling that he had been wrongly arrested. His case is one of several that have been reviewed in detail by an independent inquiry into the treatment of people in GMP’s custody. The inquiry, conducted by Dame Vera Baird, former victims’ commissioner, was launched following a Sky News investigation into the inappropriate strip-searching of women by officers. It has since been expanded to also examine the experiences of some men.
The findings of the inquiry, set to be published on Thursday, are expected to reveal concerning stories of sexual abuse and domestic violence victims being arrested for minor offences and their treatment by police officers behind cell doors. Mark is the first man to speak publicly about his experience, joining four women who have already shared their stories with Sky News. He believes that he has been persecuted by the police, having been strip-searched three times for unnecessary reasons and unlawfully arrested, including one instance where police smashed his door with a battering ram in front of his young daughter and girlfriend.
Mark’s journey began 18 months ago when he was arrested in July 2022 following a family dispute. Bodycam footage he obtained later showed the officer arresting him for “threats to cause criminal damage”, but when Mark heard someone shouting threats to kill him, he questioned why that person was not being arrested. The officer responded with aggression, accusing Mark of being disrespectful and telling him to “shut [his] mouth and listen”. Mark, who was the only black person present, called the officer racist. At the police station, he asked to file a complaint but was met with ignorance from the officer behind the desk. Mark then refused to answer the arresting officer’s questions, resulting in him being taken to a cell where he was strip-searched for the first time.
Despite being put in anti-rip garments, Mark claims that the police took them off him and left him naked in the cell for eight hours. He was also denied a blanket and had to use the hot water tap to keep warm. Mark describes the experience as “humiliating” and “degrading”, especially as he could hear officers laughing at him through the intercom. He was told he could have a blanket when he behaved, but he did not understand what that meant in a confined cell.
Mark’s case caught the attention of the Baird Inquiry after he saw Sky News’ initial report on questionable police strip searches on YouTube. By that point, he had already been strip-searched twice. The second time was in February 2023 when he was arrested over similar allegations by a relative. A team of officers from GMP’s tactical aid unit arrived at Mark’s house and arrested him for threatening behaviour, claiming they had some “downtime” and a piece of paper with his name on it. Mark was again stripped, but this time he refused to wear the anti-rip clothes in protest over the lack of food and the police’s refusal to give him his anti-anxiety medication. While he was still naked, a female officer led him through the custody suite to go for an interview. Sky News has seen footage of him being led down the corridor and Mark recalls feeling humiliated as he passed by people who he believed were solicitors. He was later returned to his cell without being interviewed and was released without charge.
The Baird Inquiry will investigate the incidents of Mark’s three arrests, including why he was stripped naked each time and later released without charge. It will also examine whether the police were justified in smashing his door in and arresting him in front of his partner and daughter. Furthermore, the inquiry will look into whether the police are abusing their powers and if there are underlying issues with the behavior and attitudes of officers. While Mark and many others involved in the inquiry have complained about police conduct, the inquiry will also explore why there seems to be no satisfactory outcome that holds officers accountable for their actions.
In response to the inquiry, Greater Manchester Police has stated that they have been fully engaged with Dame Vera’s inquiry since it was commissioned by Mayor Andy Burnham last year. They acknowledge that there are examples in the report that reflect poor standards and practices that fall below public expectations. The police force has committed to responding to the inquiry’s findings in full and
