Petty debt claims against Guernsey Police officers elevated to the Royal Court

Thursday 21 April 2022

A couple who between them have brought four claims against several serving police officers, including the Chief Officer of Police, have had their case elevated from petty debts to the Royal Court.

The summonses stem from an arrest last year which both Rob Curgenven and his partner Lucia Pirito claim was unlawful. They have since made official complaints to the police and are now pursing legal action.

Advocate Robert Breckon, from Ferbrache & Farrell, represented the officers and argued in petty debts yesterday that the original arrest was “clearly lawful”.

He also argued that the case was far too complicated to be settled in the petty debts court. Advocate Breckon said it would most likely require several witnesses and a potential two week trial.

Pictured: The couple appeared in the petty debts court.

Both Ms Pirito and Mr Curgenven are representing themselves and told Judge Graham McKerrell that if they lost in the Royal Court they'd find it difficult to absorb any potential costs. They didn’t agree that the case was complicated enough to require the Royal Court.

Despite this, Judge McKerrell agreed that the matter should go to the Royal Court.

“I do not believe the claims are as simple as the plaintiffs say they are," he said.

Express has covered the couple’s attempts to bring their story to light before, most recently after one of Mr Curgenven’s complaints led to the Committee for Home Affairs appointing a UK police force to come to Guernsey to investigate. 

"It is very important to make clear that this is in line with the standard statutory procedure for investigating complaints made against senior-ranking officers,” the Committee said at the time.

You can read more about the story HERE.

A Royal Court date has been set for 13 May.