Security guards cleared of using force on boy, 15

A video of the incident was posted on social media at the time, the court heard

Two security guards who were accused of using unnecessary force while detaining a 15-year-old boy in a Chichester Superdrug store have been cleared.

Jake De-Geus, 30, of Chichester, Sussex, and Edwin Hirst, 40, of Fareham, Hampshire, both denied charges of false imprisonment and assault at Portsmouth Crown Court.

The prosecution had claimed Mr De-Geus head-butted the teenager and both men used unnecessary force, including use of handcuffs, on 22 March 2023.

Jurors cleared both men on both charges and Hirst was acquitted of assault against another teenager, on the direction of the judge.

'Silly' comments

Neither of the teenagers or a third juvenile witness can be named for legal reasons.

During the trial, the court heard how a video of the incident was posted on social media by the complainant's mother.

However, the teenager, who is black, said he was “pretty sure” he had not told his mother that the defendants had been “racist” towards him.

The two defendants, who were contracted to work for Chichester Business Improvement District, told the court they decided to stay close to the complainant and two friends because they were making “silly” comments.

After the teenager placed a bottle of shampoo into the pocket of one of his friends, Mr De-Geus said he had asked him to leave the shop, but said the boy became “angry and aggressive”.

Mr Hirst said he saw the teenager headbutt his colleague at which point he stepped in to assist and detained the boy using handcuffs until police arrived.

He said restraining him was done with “reasonable force” and in a “controlled manner”.

The complainant said he had only “jokingly” placed the shampoo in his friend’s pocket and said Mr De-Geus then “squared up to him” and became “really angry” before “he threw me into one of the aisles”.

The teenager had been banned from Greggs in the town for stealing some potato wedges and had also been banned from the city’s Sports Direct shop, the jury heard.