Two Sussex Police officers have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a man was injured while being detained in hospital, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed.

PC Richard Harris, aged 36, and PC Lorenzo Fenu, aged 28, are due to appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 10 November to face a joint charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The charge relates to an incident on 16 April 2026, when the officers allegedly used unlawful force on a man who had been detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act. The man was injured during the incident.

The IOPC said its investigation began after a mandatory referral from Sussex Police. The investigation concluded in September 2026, and a file of evidence was then referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which authorised the charges.

The case is the latest to put the use of force against vulnerable people under scrutiny. Police officers have powers to use reasonable force in the course of their duties, but force that goes beyond what is reasonable or necessary can amount to a criminal offence.

People detained under the Mental Health Act are among the most vulnerable people officers encounter. They may be in crisis, unwell or distressed, and the law places strict limits on how force may be used against them. Any allegation that those limits were crossed is treated seriously by the police watchdog.

The IOPC investigates the most serious complaints against police in England and Wales, including allegations of assault, deaths in custody and serious injury following police contact. Forces are required to refer certain matters to the watchdog, and the IOPC can decide to investigate independently.

In this case, Sussex Police made a mandatory referral, meaning the force itself brought the matter to the IOPC's attention rather than waiting for a complaint. The watchdog then carried out its own investigation before handing the evidence to prosecutors.

The CPS applies a two-stage test before authorising charges: whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction, and whether a prosecution is in the public interest. The CPS authorised the charges against both officers after considering the file.

No plea has been reported at this stage. The two officers will appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court, which sits in Kent, for their first hearing on 10 November. The court will deal with the initial stages of the case, including confirming the defendants' identities and the charges they face.

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm is an offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. It covers assaults that cause injury beyond a trivial level, such as bruising, cuts or other physical harm. The maximum sentence in the Crown Court is five years' imprisonment.

The case will now proceed through the courts. As with any criminal case, the officers are entitled to a fair trial, and the allegations against them have not yet been tested in court.

Sussex Police has been approached for comment on the charges. The IOPC has said it will not comment further while proceedings are live.