A MAN with autism has received compensation from North Yorkshire Police after he suffered psychological harm during his arrest.

The 33-year-old, who can be identified only as JP, was taken to Fulford Road Police Station in York after a girl accused him of sexually assaulting her.

The incident was said to have occurred at York College when the man hugged the girl, leading to a misunderstanding, and he was later arrested and taken off a bus when he was travelling to meet his mother.

The man was handcuffed while being transported to the station and detained in a cell for six hours, despite telling officers he had Asperger’s Syndrome and showing them his autism alert card.

The charges were eventually dropped and he received an out-of-court five-figure settlement.

JP’s mother is now calling for police officers to receive more training to help them deal with autistic people after her son suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the ordeal and now becomes anxious when coming into contact with people and police officers.

His mother said: "My son was absolutely terrified by what he went through at the police station and it has left him with increased anxiety around coming into physical contact with people and around the police, who are people he should be able to trust and approach.

"From our experience, it is clear there needs to be improvements in the way police deal with those with autism, particularly those who identify their condition and for whom detention in a cell for a long period of time can cause significant issues."

Sarah Lambert, head of policy at the National Autistic Society (NAS), echoed the calls.

She added: "People on the autism spectrum can become extremely distressed in situations that they do not understand or when they are surrounded by noise and confusion. JP had an autism alert card, but the police involved in this incident clearly did not have the necessary understanding to respond appropriately.

"We would therefore join JP’s mother in calling for autism awareness to be incorporated in police training."

An appeal report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) concluded that JP should not have been handcuffed during transportation as it amounted to excessive force.

It also concluded that the custody sergeant did not take into account the impact on somebody with Asperger’s Syndrome of being in a cell for a long period of time.

Fiona McGhie, a public law expert at Irwin Mitchell, who has represented a number of people in claims against the police, said: "There is a clear need for improved protection for vulnerable individuals in police custody, as well as the provision of additional training for officers in how to deal with those with additional needs."

Tim Madgwick, deputy chief constable of North Yorkshire Police, said the force has worked with JP to help him overcome his fear of the police since the incident.

He added: "Since this incident happened, we have introduced more awareness training for officers and staff, ranging from classroom-based training and staff development days to an internal awareness campaign so that staff are aware of the sensitivities and needs of people with autism."