Shock moment woman ‘stripped and left topless in cell for hours’ as she claims she was ‘sexually assaulted’ by police
A WOMAN has accused police of sexually assaulting her after she was stripped and left topless in a cell for hours.
Zayna Iman has waived her anonymity to speak out against Greater Manchester Police after a 40-hour ordeal in the city’s main station.
She is now demanding answers about what happened to her as well as access to three hours of video footage that is allegedly missing – and has been backed by a former senior officer from the force itself.
Newly-released video clips show 38-year-old Ms Iman being carried into a police cell and forced on to a thin mattress, after being arrested in the early hours of February 5 2021.
Police officers were seen removing her jeans and cutting off her knickers, before taking off her top and bra and leaving her alone and topless.
She told Sky News: “Instead of providing an unconscious female with medical attention they thought, ‘I know, let’s take her clothes off instead and leave her there’.”
Medical records have suggested she suffered sexual injuries.
She had been arrested when police came to her home and she knocked the glasses off of a female officer’s face.
Officers were reportedly responding to a welfare call-out about a woman said to be high on cocaine.
Former GMP chief superintendent Martin Harding has backed her claims about her treatment as credible, after watching the footage made available.
He also said he could see “no justification at all” for an alleged strip search carried out on Ms Iman involving four female police officers.
GMP has said her clothes were removed and replaced with anti-rip garments due to welfare concerns.
The video footage shows Ms Iman looking agitated and in distress, remaining undressed for 26 hours in detention.
At one point she is seen standing on a bench with a blanket around her shoulders, pointing to what appears to be blood between her feet.
She was finally given a tracksuit to wear minutes before leaving the cell 40 hours on from her arrival.
She went directly to hospital, where Sky News says a medical report stated: “Miss Iman does not have any prior history of mental disorder.
“She has been admitted with an acute psychotic episode which has resolved without treatment.
“It is highly likely that this is drug related to ‘the date rape drug’ which led to a sexual assault.”
She told Sky News today: “I’m openly saying that at some point, during my detention with Greater Manchester Police, I was drugged and sexually assaulted.
“Prove me wrong – give me the footage.”
The broadcaster also spoke to two other women who say they suffered heavy-handed ill-treatment at the same station.
One, giving her name as Kirsty, says she was strip-searched as part of a “power trip” by officers – as did Maria, also not her real name, who insists it was done to “degrade” her.
She added: “If I was a man, I don’t think they would’ve done it – I was treated like a piece of meat.”
GMP have said police believed Maria could be concealing a vape.
A spokesperson for the force said: “Greater Manchester Police is committed to delivering outstanding service to all those the force comes in to contact with.
“If service is proven to have fallen below an acceptable level, the force apologises and takes the necessary action.
“GMP is aware that these three individuals are unhappy with the service they received when they were arrested and detained – their complaints have or are being investigated by the force.
“Though one investigation is ongoing, there is currently no evidence to suggest any GMP employees have misconducted themselves or committed a criminal offence.”
A police watchdog last week launched launched four separate investigations into alleged failures by London‘s Metropolitan Police to deal with serial rapist PC David Carrick over previous reported offences.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct probes will examine why cops allegedly “repeatedly failed to take appropriate action when serious criminal allegations were made” against Carrick while he worked as a serving Met officer.
Another former Met PC Wayne Couzens was handed a full life sentence in prison for the 2021 murder of Sarah Everard.
The ex-officer killed the 33-year-old after she vanished while walking home from her friend’s house in Clapham, south London.
His crime sparked vigils across the country as well as demands for action to tackle violence against women.
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.