Innocent elderly man arrested in Lancashire Police blunder

Officers from Lancashire Police arrested the man last month

An elderly man was arrested in a case of mistaken identity and forced to make two trips to a court at the other side of the country before the blunder was discovered.

Fazal Dad Choudhury was due to stand trial in Luton accused of fraud.

But an 88-year-old retired bus driver with the same name was arrested in Lancashire.

A judge has written to the Chief Constable of Lancashire Police to demand answers.

The man was held by officers and later had to make two journeys to Luton Crown Court.

Fingerprint checks then discovered he was the wrong Fazal Dad Choudhury.

Judge David Farrell KC said he would be writing to Chief Constable Chris Rowley to ask why an innocent man was detained when a simple fingerprint check would have established he was not the suspect.

Lancashire Police has been asked to comment.