Police watchdog launches formal inquiry into treatment of woman in GMP custody
Dannika Stewart's treatment at Pendleton Police Station is under investigation
A woman’s complaints about her treatment in custody by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) will now be subject to an independent investigation, following a review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Dannika Stewart made several complaints about her interactions with GMP officers, specifically relating to a search carried out while in custody, the medical attention she received, and her police interview.
The complaints stem from an attempted arrest on 7th October 2022 and her subsequent attendance and arrest at Pendleton Police Station on 10th October 2022.
The IOPC said it reviewed the police handling of 60 complaints submitted by Ms Stewart. Of those, 15 complaints were upheld, with the remaining 45 judged to have received a “reasonable and proportionate outcome”.
Eight complaints have been recommended for GMP’s Reflective Practice Review Process, involving two officers. One officer is named in all eight of those complaints, while a second officer is involved in two.
Six complaints, including those surrounding the custody search, will now be independently investigated by the IOPC. Officials say the investigation is in its early stages.
IOPC Director David Ford said:
“We appreciate this has been a challenging time for Ms Stewart, involving numerous investigations and subsequent reviews. Given the serious nature of the complaints, it was necessary for us to take time to scrutinise the events, police complaint investigations and evidence, prior to reaching our decisions.
“We will now begin our independent investigation into complaints relating to the search conducted by GMP officers and will ensure Ms Stewart is kept updated throughout the process.”
Ms Stewart’s concerns have also been highlighted in The Baird Inquiry, led by Dame Vera Baird KC, which examined the treatment of individuals in custody in Greater Manchester. The inquiry report was published in July 2024.
The IOPC’s latest review also considered GMP’s handling of an earlier complaint from Ms Stewart, relating to a separate crime she reported in April 2022. That earlier review was concluded in September 2023 and led to a number of matters being returned to GMP for further investigation.