Terminally ill man arrested for mooning speed camera criticises ‘pathetic’ police as he is cleared by court
Stunt was on Darrell Meekcom’s bucket list but police did not see the funny side
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
A terminally ill man who was arrested after flashing his backside at a speed camera has been cleared by magisrates.
Darrell Meekcom, 55, of Kidderminster, created a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he dies after receiving the news in October last year that he has multiple system atrophy, a rare condition which causes degenerative brain damage.
One of the items on his list was to “moon” a speed camera. He decided to target the speed camera van on Stourbridge Road in his home town after he had been “caught by them a couple of times for silly speeds like 35mph in a 30 zone and it always bugged me”.
“I didn’t think anything of it,” said the father of two, who added: “It was a good laugh.”
West Mercia Police did not see the funny side and sent six officers to his house and arrested him in his back garden.
But Mr Meekcom was cleared of a public order offence at Redditch magistrates’ court on Tuesday. Two charges of using insulting language, resisting arrest and obstructing an officer were also dropped.
He said he was left “gobsmacked” at the “heavy-handed” response and accused police of “outrageous bullying.” He added: “It's pathetic. What an absolute waste of public funding.
“I pulled my trousers down and mooned at a speed camera. That's all I did. Why were they kicking living daylights of me in the back garden if there was no offence committed?
“So all this is after they bashed my doors in, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, for no good reason. The police escalated it and I am furious about it. I never thought it would get to this point.
“It is a case of bullying and they are trying to get anything they can possibly get to get me.”
West Mercia Police confirmed it had received a complaint from Mr Meekcom and would refer it to its professional standards department.
Charles Townsen, presiding magistrate, said: “After a lengthy hearing and a lengthy discussion, we conclude as follows.
“We note that at no point during the hour-long plus incident did you cooperate with or inform the police of any health issues until you were taken to ground.
“We feel the police acted quite lawfully on Friday 5 November by arresting you.
“However, given the serious health conditions you are faced with, clenching your hands in the way that you did was justified, given the potential consequences of your hands being placed behind your back.
“Therefore we find you not guilty of resisting arrest and that your defence of self-protection has been accepted.”
The court heard from prosecutor Sarah Hurd that officers attended Mr Meekcom’s home after midday on 5 November for “matters that the court did not need to know about.”
Ms Hurd said that initially, Mr Meekcom did not want to cooperate with officers and hurled abuse at them and did not want to give his name
The court heard that as he continually refused to cooperate, Mr Meekcom was “taken to the ground” before informing officers that he has “very serious health conditions”.
In police body-cam footage played to the court, Mr Meekcom was heard telling PC Gareth Jones, of West Mercia Police: “I mooned a speed camera. I’m terminally ill. I’ve got Parkinson's mate."”
Giving evidence, PC Jones said Mr Meekcom had earlier been abusive and added: “He immediately said you c***s, you reckless c***s.
“I was concerned by what he would do next” Mr Jones added.
“From the very beginning he was doing whatever he could to stop us. We did move the handcuffs as we were listening to him about his health.
“He was singing to me, calling me names, commenting on my hair, making it difficult.
“All I know is the bits he were singing at me were from “[Always Look On] The Bright Side Of Life”."
Mr Meekcom, a registered nurse, previously appeared in court wearing a t-shirt showing Bart Simpson flashing his bottom at police. The same image was spray-painted on an underpass near his home by a graffiti artist known as the Scottish Banksy after his story made headlines around the world
The court heard then that “the prosecution case is that he decided to drop his trousers at a speed enforcement van, when officers went over to his home he wouldn't come out.”
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “We respect the decision of the magistrate in this case.
“We can also confirm that we have received a complaint in relation to this case, and now court proceedings have concluded, this will be reviewed by our professional standards department.”
Additional reporting by SWNS