Officer acted 'lawfully and necessarily' says probe into moment calf was rammed by police car

A probe, into the moment an officer used his police car to ram an escaped calf has found they acted "lawfully and necessarily."

Footage which investigators described as 'distressing', showed the 10-month-old calf, named Beau Lucy, hit by a police car twice on a residential road in Feltham, suffering grazes and bruises as a result.

The police had said the officers were concerned for the public's safety and had tried to capture the calf safely for "a number of hours".

It happened on Friday, June 15 at around 8.55pm after the force received reports that a cow was running loose in the streets.

After the incident the police officer was "removed from frontline duties" while the force investigated but will soon be returning to work.

Many people raised concerns about the treatment of the cow, including the then Home Secretary James Cleverly, who said it seemed “unnecessarily heavy handed.”

Meanwhile wildlife presenter and conservationist Chris Packham asked: “What sort of monster rams a calf?”

The owner of the calf has described the incident as "horrific".

Rob, who does not wish to give his surname, said the "method of dealing with the situation was incorrect...it could have been handled so much better".

The five month Surrey Police investigation into the incident reviewed over 250 pieces of video footage, 75 witness statements and asked animal welfare experts to determine if the actions of those involved on the night amounted to the offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the calf .

A Sussex Police Senior Investigating Officer said that while footage of the incident was distressing in nature, those involved in the incident acted within their duties.

They added, the tactics adopted were both lawful and necessary to prevent harm to the public and property, so no further action will be taken in either the criminal investigation, or the internal misconduct matter.

Deputy Chief Constable, Nev Kemp, said; “We appreciate the strength of feeling which remains in relation to this incident, which is why we committed to conducting a diligent and thorough investigation to determine whether any criminal offences had taken place in relation to the actions taken by Surrey Police on the night.

Charlie Frost reports from the scene, the day after the incident happened

“This incident has highlighted several issues in relation to how the police respond to a loose livestock incident and therefore, as a Force, we want to do what we can to reduce the possibility of any event like this happening again, not just in Surrey but anywhere in the country. We have reviewed the recommendations made by the SIO and experts in this area, and will be working to address these promptly, sharing any best practice with Forces across the UK.

“We have already made changes to our protocol for loose livestock. These changes were developed in partnership with a new national advice working group, which we established following the incident, to seek guidance from experts including the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association, British Cattle Veterinary Association, National Farmers Union, and the National Rural Crime Unit. I am grateful to them for their support and guidance.”

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