Woman believed to be WPC Kelly Jones who tripped on a kerb in the car wash area of a filling station owned by Steve Jones in Thetford, Norfolk. She is now claiming damages for injuries sustained while investigating a break-in at the garage.

Woman believed to be WPC Kelly Jones who tripped on a kerb in the car wash area of a filling station owned by Steve Jones in Thetford, Norfolk. She is now claiming damages for injuries sustained while investigating a break-in at the garage.

A policewoman has launched a lawsuit against a burglary victim after falling over a pavement kerb, it has emerged.

WPC kelly Jones has launched a five-figure lawsuit against victim Steve Jones – who bears no relation to the officer – after she tripped over a kerb near his garage following reports of a break-in.

She claims that the owner of a petrol station failed to keep her safe as she investigated the possible break-in.

Norfolk police said they were unaware of the claim which appeared to be “instigated privately” by the officer.

A letter to the business from solicitors Pattinson Brewer states PC Jones went to the Nunns Bridges garage, where there was “inadequate lighting”.

The claim alleges the petrol station is failed to ensure PC Jones was “reasonably safe”, by failing to light the area properly or warn her of the step.

The letter also alleges the business failed to display any warning signs or carry out a risk assessment and therefore “exposed our client to an unnecessary risk of injury”.

Petrol station owner Steve Jones, told reporters that he was “incredulous” about the claims. He had called 999 after the alarm went off at Nuns’ Bridges Service Station in August of last year. He said he had forgotten about the incident until he received a three-page letter from WPC Jones’s lawyers Pattinson Brewer last week.

He said: “How can anyone feel safe calling the cops if they size you up for compensation while they’re fighting crime?

“Surely policing has elements of both public service and risk. Isn’t that what officers sign up for when they put on the uniform – chasing villains and keeping us safe? I thought nothing of it – other than she must have been a bit embarrassed – and I helped her up. Then we carried on with the search.”

WPC Jones claims she injured her left leg and her right wrist in the fall. However, she was apparently able to continue the search of the garage at the time.

Police said the claim appeared to be “instigated privately” by the officer.

Mr Jones said the lawsuit could lead to uncertainty for future victims of crime.

He said: “If an officer can now sue you because they’ve tripped over on your property what does that mean for the average homeowner?” he said.

“If you hear a burglar downstairs, do you have to nail down your stair carpet, close the windows and put the lights on before you dial 999?

“This is the health and safety culture at work, the fallacy that someone is to blame for any and every accident and that compensation is free.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee has echoed these concerns and called for an urgent inquiry into the issue.

He said: “This civil claim will have huge implications for every citizen if they call police out to their premises to help them in an emergency.

“If there are going to be cases like this, then people will feel reluctant to call the police in case they are sued.

“I do not think in such circumstances the public would feel they had a responsibility for health and safety issues, in the middle of the night while apparently facing danger.

“It’s a bizarre case and we need some urgent guidelines from the Home Office.”

Norfolk MP Norman Lamb added that any successful lawsuit would ‘set an extraordinary precedent’ and called the claims “preposterous”.

He added: “I think most people would regard it as quite bizarre that an officer acting in the course of their duties would pursue a claim against a member of the public who has legitimately called them out.

“It is preposterous to imagine that it is appropriate; it is the police doing the job they are employed to do.”

WPC Kelly Jones has failed to give comment on the matter.

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