Amateur Photographer Magazine

Police stop photographer over innocent street snaps

Thursday 16th April 2009

Chris Cheesman

A man quizzed by police over misplaced fears he had taken pictures of young girls, had merely captured innocent snapshots of Newcastle, Amateur Photographer (AP) has learned.

Keith Henderson, 62, was approached by officers on 3 April following a complaint from a member of the public on Northumberland Street, Newcastle.

But a review of the digital images on his digital SLR revealed nothing more than harmless shots of Newcastle which Henderson had planned to take back to his home in South Africa.

Police have confirmed to AP that there was nothing on Henderson's camera, other than innocent photographs of the city.

After approaching Henderson police claim that he swore and shouted at the officers, prompting them to arrest him for disorderly conduct and take him down to the station in a police van.

The keen photographer claims police were heavy-handed and made him feel like a criminal, telling the Evening Chronicle that he did not recognise the police uniform of black T-shirt and combat trousers.

He was later given a caution for a 'public order offence' before being released without charge.

Northumbria Police this morning confirmed that Henderson had been stopped following 'concerns' over his photographs but declined to comment further.

Police say that the officers would have been negligent in their duty had they not spoken to Henderson following the complaint from a member of the public.

Henderson, who is originally from the UK, had been in Newcastle to attend his brother's funeral.

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