Assaulted by a bouncer - what are my options?

[Mrs_Ryan]

Hi everyone,

 

I had something quite distressing happen to me Saturday night and Im not sure what to do next so some advice would be quite helpful as I am getting differences of opinion as to what I should do.

 

On Saturday, I went out in Nottingham. I hadnt seen my friend in 6 months and we were celebrating her promotion and the fact Ive just landed my dream job. We went for pizza and then around a few bars, and decided to end the night in a club (which I dont want to mention the name of but I believe it is part of a chain of clubs)

 

My friend had been drinking but I wasnt, I had a few glasses of wine with dinner but felt a bit sick so I drank plain orange juice after that, so I was stone-cold sober by the time we got to the club. We went in, and went downstairs into the disco room, where we found a seat as my feet were hurting. We got up to dance clutching our drinks, not realising that we couldnt take drinks on the dancefloor, and a bouncer came up and tapped our glasses, shaking his head. Ok, fair enough, we said, and sat back again. I took my shoes off and then we got up to dance again, me holding my shoes in my hand, and in hindsight, I realise, yes, I should have put them back on. But that doesnt excuse what happened next.

 

We had gone up onto the dancefloor and all of a sudden my arm was pulled so roughly I was literally physically yanked off the dancefloor. Im a big girl, and had I not had weight on my side I would have gone backwards and fallen on the floor. My friend was standing with me and I crashed into her as I was pulled back, and there were several other people standing nearby who saw what happened. it was the same bouncer again, and he snarled 'Shoes' at me. I was so shocked i couldnt manage to get them back on, and my friend helped me sit down and put my shoes on, then we went straight upstairs to find a member of staff. We spoke with a duty manager, a lady, and I explained I had been assaulted. She was absolutely fantastic, I was shaking quite badly and was naturally very shocked, but she looked after me, passing me to the medic who took care of me until the head doorman came to speak to me. He was also absolutely amazing, expressing complete disgust the bouncer had behaved like that, agreeing that there was no need for it, and even removing said bouncer from that room straight away.

 

He said that he would review the CCTV today (Monday) and gave me 2 contact numbers, the club's number and his own personal mobile number. He then said that once he had seen the CCTV he would ensure that bouncer would be sacked immediately and never work there again. But that had totally spoiled my night, we went back downstairs and I just burst out crying, the duty manager, bless her, even helped my friend comfort me and kept apologising, and gave us free drinks...

 

My friend said that I should think about pressing charges, but my partner thinks I should just leave it - he says he knows bouncers at work and once something like that is on their record, its enough to put people off taking them on.

 

My questions are....

1) Are bouncers usually exclusively employed by one place, or do they work several places? So if he were sacked for something like that, would he still be able to go somewhere else and do the same thing again?

 

2) If I were to press charges, would the police take it seriously? I have several witnesses, plus the staff at the club who I spoke to (the duty manager, the medic and the head doorman) who all saw I was sober, and I suppose it would be on CCTV even the drinks I was buying...

 

3) If it were to get as far as court, would I have to pay for a solicitor? Im on a fairly low income.

 

I really dont want to press charges as I have been quite ill thorugh work-related stress in my current job, and I dont want to exacerbate the situation. However, I hate to think that he could go and assault another woman - i wasnt hurt luckily (just very shocked and shaken) but I also feel very strongly that he abused his position and shouldnt be allowed to get away with it.

 

Thanks in advance!

[BankFodder]

I don't know what the rules are concerning bouncers but I have a feeling that they now have to be licenced. You will have to check this up. Have a serach on the web.

 

In any event, I would suggest that you visit the police immediately. They aren't normally interested in this level of assault but where it concerns an employed bouncer and a club which presumably does have a licence, they are likely to be more interested.

 

If for some reason they try to fob you off - common assault, civil matter etc, you will have to stick to your guns, stay very polite. Insist that this is serious violent treatment of a woman by a large strong professional man. Ask to speak to a superior officer and basically insist and sit it out until they take the crime report and give you a crime reference number.

Make sure that the police take down the contact details of any witnesses.

 

Also write to the club special delivery and give a full account and ask what they intend to do about it. If you have a crime reference number by then, tell them what it is. If not then tell them that you are also reporting the matter to the police.

 

 

If you find that there are rules relating to bouncers then inform whoever is responsible for the rules as well.

[freakyleaky]

In the UK, bouncers (called 'door supervisors') must hold a license from the Security Industry Authority. The training for a door supervisor licence takes 30 hours, and includes issues such as behaviour, conflict management, civil and criminal law, searching and arrest procedures, drug awareness, recording of incidents and crime scene preservation, licensing law, equal opportunities and discrimination, health and safety at work, and emergency procedures.[2] One current provider of training is the British Institute of Innkeeping Awarding Body.

[freakyleaky]

Get Licensed - SIA licensing criteria

[Out4Revenge]

Hi did this go anywhere?

[superg]

I think you should press charges on him if the club is on your side This should help you out and if you are on a low income you might be able to get legal aid

The cctv footage is normally kept for 30 days Then wiped its your call but I would not let him get away with it

[shanty]

This thread is from last year.

You wouldn't have needed a solicitor,you were the victim.

The CPS would be prosecuting,and you could have got support from Victim Support to attend court etc.