A RACISM row has been sparked after a much-loved Aberystwyth business owner described the trauma of being ‘assaulted’ and ‘constantly’ stopped and searched by police in Ceredigion.

Owner of Mama Fay’s Caribbean restaurant Phil Powell – who served twice in Afghanistan for the British army – estimates he has been pulled over by Dyfed-Powys Police officers more than 40 times in the 10 years he has lived in Aberaeron.

The 41-year-old father-of-two, of Jamaican origin, says he has lost count of how often it happens and has been forced into speaking to the media because he cannot contain his ‘fury and frustration’ any longer.

The businessman – who has owned the restaurant in Portland Road for eight years – says he has been physically assaulted and embarrassed by police officers, while it has taken a toll on his mental health.

His most serious allegations are that police terrorised him in front of his wife and children at his home in Aberaeron at past midnight, officers often wait for him and then tail him when he leaves his restaurant, and he claims an officer ‘kneed him’ and confiscated his keys in Llanrhystud.

He recorded videos of several of the incidents, which appear to reinforce some of those claims. He was last pulled over on Saturday, 21 January.

He has complained four times through the Independent Office for Police Conduct website about the treatment he has received from Dyfed-Powys Police, but no action has yet been taken. Complaints have also been made to the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn.

Black people are more than eight times as likely to be stopped and searched by Dyfed-Powys Police than white people in the force area, Office for National Statistics data released in November shows.

Mr Powell told the Cambrian News: “I’m 100 per cent sure it’s racial profiling. Now it’s reached a point when, if I’m stopped, I’m just so angry I can’t help but let out my frustration. I’ve been stopped so many times it’s hard to keep track. I’ve complained and tried everything to make it stop. I’ll give you an indication; in the past two years, I’ve been stopped at least eight times. I’m not joking.

“The police officers know who I am but they’re still hassling me all the time.

“As usual they breathalyse me, they check my tyres, they check my insurance – they’re constantly doing these things all the time.

“I’m not one to accuse people of things but these are racist police officers. Why else would they be waiting and following me?

“I’ve never been in any trouble, I don’t smoke or do drugs, I’m ex-service personnel.

“I’m a respected business owner in the Aberystwyth community and I employ a lot of local people – and people know me in Aberaeron.”

He says he is aware of other non-white friends of his and fellow business owners in Aberystwyth who are also targeted by police.

Mr Powell, who previously lived in Birmingham, says he has no record of any criminality and has three points on his license for one speeding offence in 2017 which he accepts.

But he objects to the staggering frequency at which he is stopped under suspicion of speeding and drink driving only to have been penalised once.

He alleges he was pulled over last Saturday night (21 January) when he was picking up plantain and other supplies for his restaurant from Pizza & Café Milano in Aberaeron. After driving off, he was immediately followed by a police van that he suspects was waiting for him to leave. He was then stopped on the A487 to Ffos-y-ffin by two ‘confrontational’ officers.

Mr Powell also alleges on 12 May 2020, during the height of lockdown rules, he was assaulted by a police officer when he was driving back home from Birmingham via Aberystwyth. He claims the officer ‘kneed him’ and confiscated the keys from his van when he stopped and searched him near the Texaco garage in Llanrhystud.

“So, I was driving into Llanrhystud and the officer switched on his lights near the bus stop,” he said.

“I’m always conscious of where I pull over when the police stop me. I won’t stop anywhere dark for my own safety. Because I don’t know what they’re going to do and I feel like I’m being targeted – so I’m not going to pull up near some dark alleyway.

“The officer came storming out and asked me why I didn’t pull over immediately. I was perfectly calm but he was in a rage.

“This guy was trying to provoke me and suggested there were reports about a white van in the area that’s been suspicious or some nonsense.

“Before I could produce my license and registration this guy pulled open my door and grabbed my key out - and kneed me while he pushed past.”

Mr Powell also alleges he was followed by a police van in Aberystwyth after he closed his restaurant following a shift just before Christmas.

He claims he noticed an officer watching him and his staff. He was then tailed as he left Cambrian Terrace and was stopped outside Express Cafe in Alexandra Road, where an officer implied that he was connected to anti-social behaviour at the Scholar’s Pub – despite just seeing him leave work.

On 20 May 2020, he said a suspected off-duty police officer attempted to intercept him dangerously in his own private vehicle while not wearing uniform. He then followed him home before he called for backup and two marked police officers woke his wife and children up at about 1am to accuse him of speeding – only to later be sent a letter cautioning him about the offence, which he denies.

His wife Samantha Powell told the Cambrian News: “It’s not nice. The police came to the house at gone midnight and they were banging on the door – we had two young kids at the time who were fast asleep who were woken up by it - which is disturbing for them.

“And obviously it’s disturbing for my husband because he didn’t do anything wrong! He’s coming home after a long day in work just to be harassed by the police.

“It’s just totally unfair – he’s never done anything to deserve that. And it’s always happened!”

Mr Powell added: “Some police officers are consistent – I know who they are.

“But I can tell the difference with people’s tone, their expression, the way they come across, how patronising they are, the look on their face - like they’ve immediately got a grievance.

“I’m not against the police! I’m trained in law enforcement; I know how people should behave.

“I know when I’m being pulled over because I’ve been racially profiled – believe me, I know the difference.

“When a police officer comes up to you and instantly has an angry look on his face like he wants to fight, you’ll understand what I’m saying.”

Mr Powell served in the military but also as a policeman in the Jamaican Defence Forces.

He added: “This isn’t about me. It’s about young black kids. There is a psychological trauma for them to deal with.

“I’ve dealt with lots of experiences of racism in my life so I’m a bit more emotionally hardened – which I shouldn’t be.

“But I’ve had young black kids working here before who always have a story about the police, getting searched and hassled. It needs to stop.”

Mr Powell concluded by remarking how he has never had any trouble with racism in the Ceredigion community, which he loves dearly – only from police officers, he says.

Responding to the claims made, a spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “We are aware of the complainant’s concerns having received his complaint via the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in May 2020. His complaint was recorded and his concerns were looked into at the time. It was found that on each occasion the complainant was stopped by police there was a legitimate and appropriate reason for doing so. In addition there was no indication that race played any part in the decision to stop him.

“Upon conclusion of the complaint the complainant was given a right to appeal the findings to the IOPC, however he did not submit an appeal.

“The recent allegations have not yet been brought to the attention of Dyfed-Powys Police by the complainant, but a member of our Professional Standards Department will be making contact with him to discuss further.”