Officers discovered workers at Joe and the Juice having an after-hours party when they were called out to the Dean Street branch on March 7.
(Picture: PA Archive)Met Police officers drew their tasers and “red-dotted” staff members at a Soho juice bar when they were suspected of breaking the Covid-19 lockdown, a court heard.
Officers discovered workers at Joe and the Juice having an after-hours party when they were called out to the Dean Street branch on March 7.
Westminster magistrates court heard officers brandished their Met-issue electroshock weapons – designed to incapacitate hostile suspects – during the 3am confrontation.
Police said staff were found hiding in the toilets of the juice bar and later admitted they were having a “work gathering” at a time when Covid-19 Tier 3 regulations were in force.
However the prosecution collapsed when it was brought before a magistrate.
PC Michael Trype told the court they had been called out to a report of “possible suspects on premises” and he saw people inside as he peered through the window.
“I saw two people downstairs walk through a door. After a short amount of time to get their attention, entry was gained through the front door, officers went downstairs and saw a male and female enter from the toilets.
“Officers were equipped with Tasers and both male and female was red-dotted.
“Whilst they both were being dealt with by other officers, I proceeded towards the toilets and found five other females sitting down inside of the toilets on the floor. I also found a male hiding behind the toilet door.”
Details of the incident emerged after one member of staff at Joe and the Juice, 21-year-old Isabelle Von-Erbach-Schonbery was prosecuted for breaking the lockdown rules.
Von-Erbach-Schonbery, from Notting Hill, conceded to police that they were “having a work gathering at the venue”, but did not pay a £200 fine she was issued in March.
When the case reached court through the Single Justice Procedure, a magistrate dismissed the charge against Von-Erbach-Schonbery, at a hearing conducted behind-closed-doors.
The Met Police has been contacted for comment over the use of Tasers in the incident. Joe and the Juice has also been contacted for comment.
