Bank Locked Us In without consent False Imprisonment

A bunch of customers (with mental capacity!) were locked in a bank branch a week ago. Lack of consent was clearly expressed, but the bank didn't let them out.

They decided it would be convenient for them to change out an internal money machine, at no point did they announce 'we need to do maintenance if you want to leave the store please do so, we will be locking the door' etc. no time given for completion.

They should, as I understand it, have announced a temporary closure, let everyone leave, locked the door, changed out the manchine and reopened and that this was a false imprisonment.

Purpose of this post - my understanding is an act of unlawful detention depriving people with mental capacity of their liberty occurred. Does anyone with an advocacy background know the statute for pursuing this?

Thanks.
We have a lot of rights in this nation, it's a shame so few people exercise them.
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Comments

  • 18cc
    18cc Posts: 2,120 Forumite
    If you believe that it was an unlawful act of detention then could i respectfully suggest you contact the police and not discuss details of a crime on here
  • emilianozapata
    emilianozapata Posts: 50 Forumite
    edited 14 January 2019 at 3:10PM
    18cc wrote: »
    If you believe that it was an unlawful act of detention then could i respectfully suggest you contact the police and not discuss details of a crime on here

    Three things:

    1. While I actually do respect your right to respond to any thread within a freely available forum, what benefit does it do you to respond to a clear set of questions by effectively telling me to 'go away?' and with a response the detail of which you don't know if I have or have not already pursued, but state as if you know I have not?

    2. There is not, nor should there be any issue with discussing the >background< to an act a UK citizen believes to be criminal. I have not stated as fact there was a criminal act, only YOU have done that and I must stress I don't know for sure if there was. Only that the statute describing False Imprisonment appears to be clear and straightforward.

    3. I have previously had need to communicate with 3 UK forces regarding their understanding of the Child Abduction Act 1984 at the most senior level (and with a number of senior officers) None of them understood the act. So your advice which infers that the only route to a resolution of my question would be to the Police is from actual evidence a false assertion.

    If you have anything useful to add to assist me, please do respond.

    I should add, my understanding as I see it is this might also fall within a breach of Civil Law.
  • False imprisonment is a tort, it is a complex area of law and even if you did have a claim (can't say either way), you should seek legal advice as it is likely that someone with expertise will have to assess quantum, i.e. how much you should get by way of damages.

    Otherwise you could try the forum legalbeagles who would probably be able to help more than a "budgeting and bank account" section of a money saving website!
    Debt Totals July 2019::
    [STRIKE]£350 Natwest Credit Card [/STRIKE]/ ]Now £0 (paid off and closed 04/2017) £15,500 postgrad loan from parents/ Now £7,000 £5,000 sister loan/ Now £0[STRIKE]£500 train ticket loan from parents [/STRIKE]/ Now £0 (paid off 16/02/18)[STRIKE]£2,000 Overdraft[/STRIKE] Now £0 (paid off 09/03/18) £1,967.83 Barclays 0% card Now £0
    Total £7,000
  • Faith177
    Faith177 Posts: 2,927
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    A bunch of customers (with mental capacity!) were locked in a bank branch a week ago. Lack of consent was clearly expressed, but the bank didn't let them out.

    They decided it would be convenient for them to change out an internal money machine, at no point did they announce 'we need to do maintenance if you want to leave the store please do so, we will be locking the door' etc. no time given for completion.

    They should, as I understand it, have announced a temporary closure, let everyone leave, locked the door, changed out the manchine and reopened and that this was a false imprisonment.

    Purpose of this post - my understanding is an act of unlawful detention depriving people with mental capacity of their liberty occurred. Does anyone with an advocacy background know the statute for pursuing this?

    Thanks.
    We have a lot of rights in this nation, it's a shame so few people exercise them.


    How long were you locked in for?
    First Date 08/11/2008, Moved In Together 01/06/2009, Engaged 01/01/10, Wedding Day 27/04/2013, Baby Moshie due 29/06/2019 :T
  • where any kittens harmed ?
  • BoGoF
    BoGoF Posts: 6,969
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    What has this got to do with 'Budgeting and Bank Accounts'?

    The ranting board is down a bit.
  • Should Amnesty International be informed ?
  • Flobberchops
    Flobberchops Posts: 1,279
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    That's hilarious. Which bank?


    If any of you felt sufficiently aggrieved, why didn't you use one of the fire escapes?
    : )
  • Faith177 wrote: »
    How long were you locked in for?

    Thank you for the response. The amount of time was not long though it felt it, but my understanding of the legislation is that that is only a consideration regarding mitigation, not defining any potential finding on criminal or civil transgressions. Depriving someone of their liberty is a serious matter at any time. A serious matter, not just the underlying principle which is there to stop abuse at a base level, also not least because you may be detaining someone unlawfully who may subsequently have serious health issues triggered by such things - such as PTSD. Or may simply be fired for being late back, or have their car towed.

    My understanding is that Banks do not have the power to detain people without due cause or consent anymore than anyone else might. That's an important principle to defend.
  • Faith177
    Faith177 Posts: 2,927
    First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    Thank you for the response. The amount of time was not long though it felt it, but my understanding of the legislation is that that is only a consideration regarding mitigation, not defining any potential finding on criminal or civil transgressions. Depriving someone of their liberty is a serious matter at any time. A serious matter, not just the underlying principle which is there to stop abuse at a base level, also not least because you may be detaining someone unlawfully who may subsequently have serious health issues triggered by such things - such as PTSD. Or may simply be fired for being late back, or have their car towed.

    My understanding is that Banks do not have the power to detain people without due cause or consent anymore than anyone else might. That's an important principle to defend.


    If it wasnt that long I'd just move on tbh you'll waste more time and energy trying to fight it



    They did have a valid reason to lock the doors as a money delivery or machine load would have to be done securely for the bank staff safety. It would problem take longer for them to turf everyone out and mess about than it does locking the doors for a couple of minutes. Trust me I've tried to get people out of shops when a fire alarm was going off and that took long enough :rotfl:


    As for people being fired and having their cars towed surely they would be pushing their luck with queing in the bank anyway with out a small delay by being locked in
    First Date 08/11/2008, Moved In Together 01/06/2009, Engaged 01/01/10, Wedding Day 27/04/2013, Baby Moshie due 29/06/2019 :T
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