I was a newly-qualified lawyer starting work at a top law firm when the armed robber gave me a chase. It left me traumatised
Michael D. Carroll and Andrew Gray
02:23, 22 Aug 2025
On my first day as a lawyer I was beaten up and escaped arrest in a case of mistaken identity!(Image: TT)
After years of studying, travelling and job-hopping, I finally embarked on my career as a trainee solicitor on Monday, August 15, 2005.
My first day in the office was a success. That evening, brimming with pride, I drove to Manchester Piccadilly Station to pick up my girlfriend – now my wife.
I parked near the station, adjacent to the taxi rank. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, I hardly resembled a solicitor.
Keen not to be late, I dashed across the road towards the station entrance. Suddenly, a car pulled up and a large man got out.
Instead of heading for the station doors, he made a beeline for me. As a savvy Mancunian, I immediately sensed danger, reports the Express.
As we crossed paths, he forcefully knocked me to the ground and thrust his fist in my face. It felt like a scene from a film.
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“You’re under arrest,” he declared.
Shocked and heart pounding, I stammered: “What for? Where’s your ID? Where’s your ID?”.
He remained silent.
“I’m going to put you in a van,” he warned me. He kept scanning the street in a threatening manner.
I came to the only conclusion I could: I was being abducted. I offered him my wallet, phone, car keys – anything – but he declined.
My fear escalated.
‘Barefoot and bloodied’
I had no other option but to resist. Somehow, I managed to fend him off, losing my shoes, wallet, phone, keys and chain in the process.
Barefoot and bleeding, I sprinted down the street yelling: “Help! Call the police!” But at 11pm on a Monday night, Manchester was deserted.
I quickly took cover under a lengthy bridge, seeking refuge in a shadowy nook. When the coast seemed clear, I sprinted until I stumbled upon two Royal Mail employees cleaning vans.
Panting heavily, barefoot and smeared with blood, I pleaded with them to ring the police. They complied.
Almost instantly, an unmarked car carrying two officers arrived. After verifying their identification, I relayed my ordeal.
They concurred that it appeared to be a potential abduction case. They contacted their headquarters via radio and escorted me back towards the scene to hunt for my assailant.
Attacker found
Shortly after, we crossed paths with a marked patrol vehicle. Inside were two officers who had just detained a man in his twenties – of similar build to myself.
My girlfriend was nearby. The officers conversed with their colleagues and then revealed the shocking truth to me.
There had been an armed robbery at a local Sainsbury’s and the man who had assaulted me was an off-duty British Transport Police officer. He had mistaken me for the thief.
By midnight, my family had arrived to pick up my girlfriend. I insisted that the officer return to explain his actions.
He had already left for home – despite leaving me battered, without shoes and bereft of my belongings. When he returned, in the presence of his commanding officer, he maintained that his actions were in aid of his colleagues.
When I questioned why he had declined to show his ID, he denied that I had even asked for it. Why else, I countered, would I have attempted to hand over my possessions to him?
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The following morning, my second day as a solicitor, I arrived at the office bruised, dazed and exhausted. I don’t believe anyone at the firm bought my story.
You might anticipate that I would take legal action after such an experience, but I didn’t. My injuries healed within a few weeks.
Instead, I rang a high-ranking officer from the British Transport Police, who offered an unreserved apology. I chose to let it go.
After all, the man who attacked me believed I was armed. That required bravery, even if he was entirely mistaken.
However, mentally, I was altered. For the subsequent two years, living a mere five minutes from Piccadilly Station, I developed increasing claustrophobia.
Inside, I was alright. Outside, I felt anxious and suffocated, constantly fearful of nothing specific.
One solitary weekend in my flat, I hit rock bottom. I broke down, weeping uncontrollably – something I had never experienced before or since.
It was then I realised I needed to take action.
I couldn’t allow myself to be broken
Feeling embarrassed, I secretly sought help. As a solicitor, my mind was my instrument – I couldn’t permit it to break.
My GP referred me to a private Consultant Psychologist. I paid in cash to avoid the payment showing up on my bank statement.
The session was costly but crucial. I don’t recall much of it, except being diagnosed with anxiety – potentially PTSD.
I think it was my first encounter with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Afterwards, I felt almost rewired.
Reflecting on the past, I realise how the assault influenced my decisions. I completed my legal training in Manchester, but declined offers to remain there.
Instead, I relocated to Harrogate – a spa town known for its low crime rate. Despite everything, I still have a fondness for Manchester, but I knew it was necessary for me to leave.
My life took a turn for the better
Years later, I found myself specialising in claims related to assaults at work. Although my personal experience wasn’t related to the workplace, I could deeply empathise with my clients.
I represented nurses who had been attacked by patients, security guards involved in robberies, carers assaulted by residents, teaching assistants hit by students and social workers mistreated by parents.
The most significant injuries were psychological, not physical. I understood that.
My own trauma gave me an advantage – and the confidence to establish my own law firm, Truth Legal, dedicated to assault claims.
Over time, I grew to admire the courage of my clients. They openly discussed their struggles and pursued claims not for financial gain, but to protect others by enforcing change.
That police officer, without realising it, became the catalyst for my career. His assault transformed my life.
Thanks to him, I have been able to assist hundreds of victims of violence.
Cheers, mate.
On my first day as a lawyer I was beaten up and escaped arrest in a case of mistaken identity!(Image: TT)