UPDATE Chief constable apologises after officer threatened to 'make up something' to charge driver

Lancashire police have apologised and launched an investigation after footage on social media appeared to show an officer threatening to fabricate a charge to lock a young man up
Lancashire police have apologised after an officer threatened to fabricate a charge against a young driverLancashire police have apologised after an officer threatened to fabricate a charge against a young driver
Lancashire police have apologised after an officer threatened to fabricate a charge against a young driver

He was pulled over by the police in his yesterday afternoon after returning to buy a quad bike for his step-son. It is believed the man is from Accrington.

It is believed the man involved had been out in his car on Friday afternoon in order to buy a quad bike for his step-son, before being pulled over by the police.In the video.

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The young man is heard saying: "You're harassing me, what for I've done nothing wrong." The officer can then be heard saying: "Do you want me to show you the definition of harassment. The young man can then be heard saying, "but I've done nothing wrong", to which the officer says: "I will make something up.

"Public order, squaring up to a police officer, shall I do that?

"Who they going to believe, me or you."

Throughout the video, the young man appeared calm and didn't raise his voice or challenge the police officer.

Posting on social media, the man said: ""He started to hail abuse at me, threatening me and saying he will make something up to lock me away, his words were, ‘who they going to believe me or you’, while not keeping his two metre distance spitting at me while he was shouting."

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A spokesperson for the police said: "We are already aware of footage circulating on social media regarding an officer's actions during an incident in Accrington yesterday.

"The matter is being investigated and has been referred to our professional standards department

"It is clear from the footage the member of the public deserves an apology which we will attempt to provide him with today."

This afternoon chief constable Andy Rhodes said: "Further to our initial statement regarding video footage widely circulating of an incident in Accrington involving one of our officers and a member of the public, I can now provide additional information.

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"On the afternoon of Friday officers were making their way towards an address to execute a search warrant when they stopped to speak to a group of males with a quad bike. The footage shows language and behaviour from one officer which were completely unacceptable and for this I apologise without reservation. We recognise the impact that this behaviour will have had, both on the young man concerned, and on the hard earned trust and confidence of the wider public, particularly the comments about making offences up. It only takes one incident like this to undo the hard work of so many.

"I want to reassure everyone that we are conducting a thorough investigation and I have referred the matter to our Professional Standards Department. We have spoken to the man in the footage and apologised and will be speaking to him again over the coming days to keep him fully informed regarding the actions we are taking."