A police officer who was fined £1,500 for assault after wrongly arresting a woman for bus fare evasion has had his conviction quashed.

PC Perry Lathwood had been convicted of the common assault of a woman who had been travelling on a bus in Croydon in June 2023.

But the Metropolitan Police officer, of Norman’s Bay in Bexhill, has now had his conviction quashed at a hearing after he appealed.

Met Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe said: “I recognise that this incident has divided opinions.

“The impact it had, particularly on black communities in Croydon and further afield, was significant.

“However, PC Lathwood has now been cleared by the criminal courts and that decision must be respected.

“We accept this incident was not handled perfectly and there is valuable learning to be taken from it.

“However, we believe that could have been done through police misconduct mechanisms, not the courts.

“Officers do not shy away from scrutiny and recognise the importance of independent oversight.

“We will continue to push for a system of police accountability that officers can have confidence in – one which properly recognises the very challenging role they perform and the requirement on them to make fast decisions under pressure.”

Lathwood remains on restricted duties pending misconduct proceedings with the Metropolitan Police.