A north-east couple have spoken for the first time of the “humiliating” ordeal that saw them arrested in a row over a customer’s vehicle.
Robert and Fiona Creighton have owned Peterhead-based B and F Commercials for the last 18 years but were left stunned when the police turned up at their Wilson Street premises.
The row centred on a van which had been in the garage undergoing repairs but whose owner had then refused to pay the bill.
Mr and Mrs Creighton chose to impound the van until the invoice had been settled, only for the police to call at the garage.
They were handcuffed and bundled into the back of separate police vehicles and taken to Fraserburgh police station, where they were held for around eight hours.
After their arrest, in July 2015, the couple faced charges of theft, extortion and assault.
Those charges were later dropped, but the couple decided to take legal action against the police.
Last December they secured a £5,000 settlement but while that should have brought the matter to an end, the husband and wife say they continue to suffer.
Mr Creighton, 62, said: “The officers who attended said I couldn’t do hold onto the van and claimed it was against the law. They said they would arrest me.
“I lifted my hands and I got the shock of my life when they grabbed me and frog-marched me out of the garage.
“Our supervisor saw this and came over and told the officers it was a civil matter and that it was nothing to do with them.
“Fiona heard what was going on and kicked up a bit of noise and the next thing I knew they were slapping her in handcuffs.”
Mrs Creighton said she had been left “humiliated” by the incident and had noticed a drop in trade ever since.
The 57-year-old grandmother said: “I was in the back of the police car, with my arms behind me and I was in a state of disbelief over what had happened.
“We were both charged with theft and extortion because we held the customer’s car and I face two charges of assault.
“Our business has suffered in a lot of ways and there’s been bit of a downturn.
“It was an awful thing to have happened really. It happened in front of customers and we were humiliated.”
Police would not comment on the details of the case but Superintendent Richard Craig said: “A formal complaint against Police Scotland was concluded and a claim for damages was settled. We are unable to comment further.”