Report lays bare shocking treatment of women inside police custody - but they hadn't even committed a crime

One of Britain's biggest police forces was today accused of 'a very serious abuse of power' after a damning report into how custody officers carry out 'degrading' strip-searches of vulnerable women.

Former Victims Commissioner Dame Vera Baird was asked to investigate after a string of women told how they had been subjected to humiliating treatment following their arrest by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Her report into the scandal – published today – reveals how one domestic abuse victim was unlawfully arrested for malicious communication after angrily accusing the force of 'failing people on a monumental scale'.

The woman – referred to as Maria - was then stripped naked and 'treated like a piece of meat', she told Dame Vera.

'The only reason they did what they did was to degrade me,' 'Maria' added.

Another disturbing account involved a woman who complained that the force wasn't taking action against a man she suspected of grooming a child for sex.

Mother Dannika Stewart (pictured) reported that she was forced to strip naked in a cell by officers from Greater Manchester Police and was told under threat to drop complaints about the force

She was arrested herself and claims she was told to 'strip or be stripped' at the custody suite, with an officer 'staring at her breasts' after she removed her clothes, with no blanket provided to protect her modesty.

A third was just 14 and an alleged grooming victim when two female officers told her to strip down to her underwear and lift up her bra because she had concealed an e-cigarette from police on a previous occasion.

In today's hard-hitting report, Dame Vera questions whether a requirement that officers 'increase arrests' has led to 'an over-readiness' to detain suspects, sometimes on the flimsiest of grounds.

She recommends that GMP stops strip-searches on the grounds of a risk of self-harm or for a detainee's welfare within six months.

The barrister and former Labour minister also calls on the Home Office and police chiefs nationally to investigate using airport-style screening 'to eradicate degrading strip-searching from police practice as much as possible'.

In addition, all custody suites should have women-only sections, with every woman detainee allocated a female welfare officer, and sanitary products readily available, Dame Vera says.

Greater Manchester Police's Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who has been hailed for the success of his 'back to basics' approach in bringing the force out of special measures, responded by saying he was 'sorry'.

One of the complainants Zayna Iman, 38, released CCTV footage of herself in a Greater Manchester Police cell

Video footage obtained by the woman, Zayna Iman, 38, shows her in the custody cell

CCTV footage shows three female officers taking off Ms Iman's clothes, leaving her topless in a cell, face-down on a mattress

Pledging to implement the findings in full, he accepted that the report had uncovered examples of 'poor behaviour, insensitivity, and a lack of care in the face of vulnerability'.

But whistleblower Maggie Oliver, who resigned a detective over failings in how GMP handled child sexual grooming cases, branded the Baird report 'another damning indictment of one of the country's largest police forces'.

'Dame Vera Baird's explosive report reveals a shocking disregard for rights of those coming into contact with the criminal justice system,' she said.

Highlighting how half the 15 former detainees who spoke to Dame Vera should never have been arrested in the first place, Mrs Oliver said: 'Many of those arrested were vulnerable women and we say that this constitutes a very serious abuse of power.'

The report was commissioned last year by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and his deputy, Kate Green, after four women told Sky News they had been subjected to unjustified strip searches after being arrested.

Among them was Zayna Iman, 38, who waived her anonymity to allege that she was stripped, drugged and sexually assaulted while being held in custody for almost two days - although according to the report, she later 'withdrew her engagement' with Dame Vera's investigation.

Ms Iman alleged she was stripped, drugged and sexually assaulted while being held in custody for almost two days

As recently as last Sunday, a civilian police custody detention officer based at Bolton police station in Greater Manchester was arrested on suspicion of sexual touching, misconduct in public office and cyber-flashing.

Today's report features harrowing accounts from 11 women and three men, some of whom originally contacted police as witnesses of crime.

In other cases they alleged they had been victim of sexual assault, only to find themselves the ones to be arrested.

In all but one of the 14 cases, police ultimately took no action. Seven out of the arrests examined for her report were unlawful, Dame Vera concluded.

She questions whether Mr Watson making it a 'strategic priority to increase arrests' after taking over as chief constable had led to 'an over-readiness to arrest'.

'Some of the arrests in this inquiry seem to emerge from a reversal of reality, when a victim or someone trying to protect or support a victim is arrested for the smallest misdemeanour, while there is little investigation into the suspected serious offender,' she wrote.

As well as speaking to former detainees, Dame Vera was given access to custody records, CCTV and body-worn camera footage.

However she did not interview officers involved in their arrests, saying it was a matter for the chief constable to refer them to the Independent Office for Police Conduct if there was grounds for disciplinary action.

In her recommendations, Dame Vera called for a thorough overhaul of how the force treats women suspects and its policy on performing strip-searches.

'Greater Manchester Police should move to put an end to strip searching done for 'welfare reasons' and should more firmly regulate, and clearly report, strip searching carried out for any reason,' she concluded.

In response, the force said it had already implemented several changes, including female welfare officers for female detainees, sealed packs of sanitary products in custody suites, and greater 'transparency' over strip-searches.

Mr Watson said: 'To those given a voice by this inquiry who have not received the care and consideration they are entitled to: I am sorry.

'The issues raised in Dame Vera's report speaks to a period when our a custody system under pressure not performing to an acceptable standard.

'It evidences poor systems, structures, and incivility, insensitivity and compounded by a lack of routine leadership, scrutiny, and individual examples of low standards, poor behaviour, insensitivity, and a lack of care in the face of vulnerability.

'These issues are of the utmost importance and highlight the need to maintain the highest professional standards.

'These must reflect our duty, and moral obligation, to respect and uphold the dignity of all detainees but with a particular focus on women and girls.

'We accept the recommendations in this report.

'We commit to implementing them fully and faithfully with a view to making lasting improvements.'

But Mrs Oliver, who now runs her own foundation to help adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, said the report exposed 'a shocking disregard for rights of those coming into contact with the criminal justice system

She said it would be 'easy to dismiss her findings as relating to only those who break the law and end up in police custody' – but highlighted that the report had concluded half of those whose arrests were examined should never have been detained in the first place.

Their treatment – in many cases after previously reporting being victims of sexual violence – 'portrays a very disturbing picture of the police officers in whom we, the public, place our trust', she added.

In a statement responding to the inquiry, Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said the organisation has 'long called for transformation in the culture of policing along with accountability, transparency and leadership to root out misogyny, racism and other forms of discrimination wherever they are found.'

She said that the latest inquiry follows other reports investigating systemic issues within policing - most recently Baroness Casey's review into the Met Police. 

Ms Simon continued: 'Public trust and confidence in policing has sharply declined in recent years, following high profile revelations about police-perpetrated violence against women and girls. 

Dame Vera Baird's report not only illustrates how this is an issue that stretches far beyond London's Met Police, but it also shows how perpetrators of abuse are often able to weaponise the criminal justice system and pursue prosecution against victims as part of a pattern of coercive control.

'Critical issues flagged by this inquiry include police call handlers failing in their duty of care to victims of domestic abuse, a routine practice of arresting victims without regard for the broader context of abuse, an overwhelmingly weak police response to domestic abuse, poor understanding of and over-response to minor misconduct by victims, a readiness to criminalise traumatised women expressing frustration with the police response, and police officers escalating situations rather than protecting the public peace.

'In addition, it highlights a systemic issue around provision of sanitary protection in custody as well as detainees' rights to medical care.'

EVAW called on the Mayor of Greater Manchester to implement the recommendations in a timely manner and they also urged the Home Office to commission an inquiry into the use of strip search in other forces.

Ms Simon added: 'All police forces must be accountable to the public they serve. Due to their position of power and authority, there can be no justification for missing custody notes, gaps in video footage or any failure to be open and transparent about what happens to those in custody. 

'We welcome the inquiry's recommendation for greater scrutiny, which must include victim advocates.

'It is particularly critical that forces have a better understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse and other forms of male violence, so that victims aren't arrested and criminalised. This is essential to maintaining trust in the police and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice.'

Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp, NPCC lead for Custody, welcomed the report, describing the details within it as 'deeply concerning'.

He added: 'It's vitally important that anyone who is held in custody is treated with respect and dignity, and that all processes including the use of strip search, are in line with legislation, policy and procedure.

Mandatory training for custody officers was recently refreshed with a focus on recognising vulnerability and appropriate use of powers.