Man used homophobic slur after being handcuffed for breaking into his own home

NewsMan used homophobic slur after being handcuffed for breaking into his own homeHe has now been ordered to pay a fineleicestermercuryBookmarkShareCommentsNewsByTom MackSenior

Reporter04:00, 9 JUN 2025BookmarkMcClafferty was handcuffed by officers (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)Get the latest Leicestershire Live breaking news on WhatsApp

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A man used a homophoblic slur after being handcuffed by officers for breaking into his own home. Lewis McClafferty has now been left with a £645 bill for slur he used while drunk.

McClafferty had been drinking when he got home to Kemp Road in New Parks in the early hours of Saturday, November 30 last year when he discovered he partner was not around and he did not

have his keys. He smashed the window in the back door to break in and went to bed.

However, Leicestershire Police were called by a witness and after they let themselves in through the unsecure back door they found McClafferty sitting in bed with his hands up. After

speaking to him in his bedroom and being told what happened, they put him in handcuffs and took him outside the property and kept him there for about five minutes as he became increasingly

frustrated.

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At Leicester Magistrates' Court on Thursday (June 6), it was heard the officer holding McClafferty's left arm was reportedly digging his fingers in, leading to the defendant to

complain and call him a homophobic slur.

Court was told McClafferty had 31 previous offences on his record, but since 2015 his only convictions were for driving offences. Jacqueline Macduff, representing McClafferty, told the judge

what could be seen on the officer's bodycam footage and that included the police officer calling McClafferty an "idiot" and used a swear word repeatedly.

She said McClafferty had been bleeding from breaking his window and at one point the same officer got some blood on himself and wiped his hand on McClafferty, telling him, "take your blood

back". She said McClafferty would be making a formal complaint about the officer.

She said: "Before this offence was committed there was 15 minutes of frustration that has built up quite rightly that has led to him using language he wouldn't normally use. This

isn't an incident that came out of nowhere."

She said her client was repeatedly asking the officers why they had him in handcuffs and what they wanted from him.

She said: "He says the officer kept grabbing or twisting his arm. It's because of the way the officer is holding his arm."

District Judge Rahim Allen-Khimini told McClafferty that because of the homophobic nature of the crime he was unable to just give him a conditional discharge. The judge said: "Whilst I

appreciate what happened that day, that last comment is what really has landed you in court."

McClafferty, who had pleaded guilty to using abusive language, was fined £461 and ordered to pay a £184 victim surcharge. The judge said he would not order any compensation.

He told McClafferty: "That's £645 because you said that one word."