Published: 27 July, 2012
by WILLIAM McLENNAN

THE father of one of Ben Kinsella’s killers believed he was about to become the victim of a “nasty revenge attack” when police broke down his door, a court heard yesterday (Thursday).

Michael Alleyne – whose son, also called Michael, is serving a life sentence for murder – is suing the Metropolitan Police for an estimated £100,000 at the High Court, claiming he was kicked in the face when his son was arrested.

Michael Alleyne junior was one of three men found guilty of stabbing the 16-year-old.

Ben, whose sister Brooke Kinsella starred in EastEnders and has become a prominent anti-knife crime campaigner, was attacked outside a bar in North Road, Holloway, in 2008.

Dijen Basu, counsel for the Met Police, said: “Mr Allayne was aware that his son had something to do with the murder before officers entered his flat. He was expecting a knock on the door and it could have been associates of Ben Kinsella, the murder victim.

“He thought these people were there to do him some harm, thinking he was the victim of a nasty revenge attack.”

Mr Alleyne senior, of North Road, says police did not identify themselves when they came to his house to arrest his son.

The officers, who were wearing riot-style clothing, were from a unit trained to deal with the highest level of public disorder.

They said they shouted “police, police” as they entered the property.

Mr Alleyne, a London Underground worker, says officers pushed him to the ground and kicked him in the face, causing injuries to his eye and ankle that kept him off work for 16 weeks.

His lawyers claimed earlier this week that the conduct of police officers was “oppressive, humiliating, arbitrary and unconstitutional”. Mr Alleyne is demanding compensation for alleged negligence, trespass, false imprisonment and assault.

Officers deny Mr Alleyne was kicked in the face and claim he appeared to be struggling and needed to be restrained.

The Met’s counsel told the court that officers entered the flat not knowing if they would be “attacked by desperate and violent men” who had “recently killed”.

Mr Basu said: “Every now and then a police officer is killed or badly injured by someone they are trying to arrest.”

The judge, Anthony Seys-Llewellyn, QC, is expected to give his judgment today (Friday).