Police watchdog to investigate claims woman was raped in police custody

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The police watchdog has confirmed it will investigate claims a woman was raped in police custody.

Zayna Iman claims she was drugged and raped in a police cell in February 2021 after she was detained by Greater Manchester Police. She was arrested at her home after officers responded to a friend’s concern for her safety after she had taken cocaine in the early hours of 5 February 2021.

The 38-year-old was taken to a nearby station, where she was carried into a jail cell and had her clothes removed whilst apparently unconscious – an element Ms Iman was able to uncover after requesting the CCTV footage through a subject access request.

The footage also shows that she was strip-searched and left undressed for prolonged periods.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Friday that it would begin an investigation following her complaint, confirming that it would look “at the nature of the interaction the woman had” with Greater Manchester Police.

Earlier this week, detectives asked computer experts to try to recover two hours of missing footage from the police cell. On Wednesday, police denied withholding the footage deliberately, explaining that the footage from the cell was put onto four discs, one of which was corrupted.

When the files were recovered, it was found that two hours of footage were missing, but by this time, the “parent footage on the servers had been overwritten” as the standard time for retaining the footage had passed, the force said.

Greater Manchester Police added: “We have recovered and secured the servers and have an active line of enquiry – being if the outstanding hours can be recovered by Digital Forensics professionals.”

Ms Iman went to hospital after being released from police custody and was there for five days, documents show. After leaving hospital, she asked Greater Manchester Police for evidence of what happened to her whilst she was held in the cell.

She finally received the footage a year later, but two hours were missing. At 1pm on 6 February, the footage shows Ms Iman naked, looking up at the camera, before the screen goes blank. There is also a section the day before where the footage cuts out, with both hours missing from the footage.

A doctor’s entry on 9 February states: “Zayna has spent time with staff trying to make sense of the things that have happened and has now queried whether she was actually raped by the police.”

The report concludes that Ms Iman, “who does not have any prior history of mental disorder”, was admitted with an acute psychotic episode that was resolved without treatment.

“It is highly likely that this is drug related to ‘the date rape drug’ which led to a sexual assault.”

“I requested the footage and the documents in February 2021,” Ms Iman told The Independent, waiving her right to anonymity. “They sent the paperwork in October 2021, but they didn’t send the footage until February 2022.”

Recalling her condition at the time, Ms Iman said: “My back passage hurt. Everything inside hurt, and I was struggling to walk, and my friends will tell you that when they picked me up five days later from the hospital I was still struggling to walk.”

IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said: “These very serious allegations will have undoubtedly unsettled the local community and the wider public. Their severity raises understandable concern and has the potential to undermine confidence in policing.

“In light of the new information we recently received and the significant media attention generated, as well as a request from GMP, we have taken the decision that an independent investigation is required into the allegations.

“We are aware of footage of the woman’s detention, which has been widely shared, and will be requesting a copy of all available video evidence to assist with our inquiries.

“Our investigation, which will be thorough and independent of the police, will look at the nature of the interaction the woman had with police while in custody and allow us to understand what happened on the night in question.

Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)