Four hours in cell after row with gas fitter

Published: 24 September, 2010
by PETER GRUNER

A RETIRED company chief executive was arrested on Tuesday and kept in a police cell for four hours after a ­heated row with a gas fitter.

Former marketing consultant John Murphy, 66, was accused of not allowing the fitter to leave his house in Noel Road, Angel, following an argument over a gas-fired Aga stove which would not light.

The fitter, working for Skanska – which had been digging up the road outside – called police on a mobile, claiming he was imprisoned in the house. Mr Murphy was arrested by three officers and taken in a squad car to Angel police station.

There he was body searched, fingerprinted, photographed, had samples of DNA taken, and then placed in a locked cell for four hours.

“I’m not sure who was more embarrassed by it all, me or the police,” he said afterwards.

Mr Murphy, who has an honorary doctorate from Brunel University, said he had never been in trouble with the law before. The police had treated him with “courtesy and kindness”, he added. The accusation against him was later dropped. “This was something which could have been sorted out on our doorstep,” Mr Murphy said.

The argument with Skanska began after he and his wife Janet found that, following the work outside their home, the gas was briefly disconnected. When it was reconnected they were unable to use their Aga stove.

The gas fitter was called in and, unable to re-start the stove, suggested it was faulty. Mr Murphy and the fitter traded a few angry words and the worker decided to leave.

Mrs Murphy said: “When the fitter got to the front door, he apparently could not open it as the latch was down. It is a complicated Banham lock and had been fiddled with all day due to people coming in and out constantly, mainly Skanska employees.

“He accused my husband, John, who was sitting reading in another room, of locking him into the house. John responded that he shouldn’t be so silly. He [John] didn’t feel minded to leave his book and sort out the fitter’s problem as he clearly didn’t give a damn about our problem.

“The result was an impasse but one which the fitter could have resolved quite readily. Instead, he sat down in the hall, insisting that he had been detained unlawfully, and called police.”

The couple are demanding an apology from Skanska and reimbursement of the £200 cost of having to get an engineer out to re-start the Aga. They are also calling for the firm to compensate Mr Murphy for the ordeal of being arrested and held in a cell. Any settlement will be donated to charity.

Mrs Murphy added: “If our complaint is ignored, we shall buy shares in Skanska and attend the next agm where we shall cross-question the board on this matter, their ethical standards and their procedures.”

A keen supporter of Neighbourhood Watch, Mr Murphy added that the only time he had ever visited a police station before was to give information about local crime.

Emily Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, is investigating the incident, which follows complaints in the area about Skanska, which is replacing gas mains on behalf of the National Grid.

She said: “ It is most unfortunate that an issue as relatively trivial as an unlit Aga could escalate so ridiculously and result in Mr Murphy being hauled off to the police station.  

“It must have been very distressing for both Mr and Mrs Murphy. I strongly recommend Skanska apologise and recompense this formidable couple. Otherwise they are going to be taken on and I don’t fancy Skanska’s chances! 

“I would like to wish Mr and Mrs Murphy all the best. If they would like me to help, I’d be very happy to but I suspect they will not need it.”

A spokeswoman for Skanska said: “We take customer service and the safety of employees and contractors very seriously. We are conducting a full investigation into this matter to see if any further action is required and cannot comment further at this stage.”

Police said they were called following reports of a 43-year-old man being held against his will after a dispute with the occupant of the house. Officers spoke with both men and arrested a 66-year-old man. He was taken to the police station for further questioning but was released with no further action after the allegation was withdrawn.

Chief Inspector Paula Light, from Islington Police, said: “Due to the constraints of the law, matters should be investigated at a police station unless there is a life-or-death implication. This was not the case in this incident and in order to put questions to the gentleman concerned it was necessary to bring him to the police station to comply with the law.”