Freelance photographer Dimitris Legakis says he lost a lot of work after being arrested in a case that was later dropped for a lack of evidence
By Gwyn Loader & Paul Pigott
Chief correspondent, Newyddion S4C
A press photographer who had a case against him thrown out of court said he suffered nightmares after being arrested while working.
Dimitris Legakis saw all the charges against him dropped the day before his trial in a case the judge at Swansea Crown Court called “disturbing”.
South Wales Police said it was investigating a “number of complaints” in relation to the incident.
The CPS admitted the case against Mr Legakis should have stopped sooner.
“Immediately after my arrest I was having nightmares for the best part of four weeks,” the freelance photographer, who runs the Athena Picture Agency in Swansea, told Newyddion S4C.
“I lost quite a bit of work,” he added.
“Even until now, it has affected my mental health badly.”
In September last year he got a tip about a car fire on Sketty Lane in his home city and went to take photos at the scene.
The fire, as it turned out, was set by David Clarke who has since been convicted of murdering his 77-year-old wife.
Judge Geraint Walters told the court on Monday it seemed Mr Legakis was arrested after a police officer “took offence” to him taking pictures.
Dimitris Legakis was photographing this incident when he was arrested
He was held in custody for 15 hours then charged with assaulting an emergency worker, obstructing or resisting a police officer and a public order offence of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.
Judge Walters said “there was no evidential basis” for the charges and the case “raised serious questions”.
Mr Legakis said his situation underlined a threat to freedom of the press.
“I don’t want to be intimidated by people when I’m trying to go about my business. It’s seriously not right.”
He believes he is now caught in the middle of “finger pointing” between the police and prosecutors and intends to complain.
“I wish I didn’t have to complain,” he added.
“Complaining is a long process. It might involve a solicitor. I would like to see the police take action themselves, maybe refer themselves to the IOPC [Independent Office for Police Conduct] and see how things develop.”
The CPS said, after a review, it decided there was “no longer sufficient evidence and the prosecution should be stopped” and acknowledged that it “should have happened sooner”.
South Wales Police said: “We note the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to offer any evidence in this case.”
