A veteran police officer accused of racially abusing a young black suspect during the London riots is facing a retrial.
Pc Alex MacFarlane, 53, based at Forest Gate Police Station, was recorded on Mauro Demetrio’s mobile phone telling him “The problem with you is you will always be a n----r, yeah?” after he was handcuffed in the back of a police van. There were further abuses alleged.
The Metropolitan Police officer admitted it was a “poor choice of words”, but claimed he was trying to “calm down” the suspect and that Mr Demetrio had referred to himself as a “n----r” first.
Today at Southwark Crown Court the jury of seven men and five women were discharged after they were unable to reach a verdict in relation to the charge of causing racially aggravated intentional harassment or distress.
MacFarlane, who denied the charge of causing racially aggravated intentional harassment or distress, is likely to be face a retrial starting on Monday next week.
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