Terminally-ill retired university lecturer, 55, is arrested by SIX police officers in his garden – after baring his bottom at a speed camera because it was on his bucket list

• Darrell Meekcom, 55,  wrote up a bucket list after receiving a terminal diagnosis
• He mooned at a speed camera, which was flagged as an ‘indecent exposure’
• Police came to his home and six officers wrestled him to the ground in an arrest
• Mr Meekcom, who uses a wheelchair and zimmer frame, has contacted the IOPC 

A terminally-ill pensioner was arrested by six police officers in his back garden after baring his bottom at a speed camera, because it was on his bucket list.

Retired university lecturer Darrell Meekcom drew up a list of things he wanted to do before he died after being given the tragic news last month he had multiple system atrophy.

Among the items was to moon a speed camera, so last Friday the 55-year-old bared his bottom to a police speed van in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

But the officer in the speed van had reported the disabled father-of-two and former nurse to colleagues to report the ‘indecent exposure’. 

Just 20 minutes later, three police cars pulled up outside the home of Mr Meekcom – who also has Parkinson’s Disease and heart and kidney problems – and demanded to be let in. 

When he refused, officers allegedly raided his home and kicked down the garden gate before wrestling Mr Meekcom to the ground outside to put him in cuffs.  

In footage filmed by his wife, Mr Meekcom can be heard telling the officers, ‘Have you never wanted to moonie a speed camera? Well I did.’ 

Darrell Meekcom, 55, bared his bottom at a speed camera as part of his bucket list after receiving a terminal diagnosis. He was later arrested for ‘indecent exposure’.

Six officers wrestled the retired university lecturer to the ground as they arrested him in his back garden for ‘indecent exposure’

Mobile phone footage filmed by wife Sarah, 36, a nurse, shows Mr Meekcom calmly telling officers: ‘I’m terminally ill, I won’t be able to breathe like this. 

‘This is ridiculous – I moonied a speed camera. I moonied a speed camera.’

One female officer can be heard replying: ‘Well that is a significant statement that you have just made to us.’

Mr Meekcom said: ‘I’m quite happy to say that because it was one off my bucket list. I’ve just been diagnosed with multiple system atrophy. I’m terminally ill, I’ve got a very short time to live and it was one off my bucket list.

‘Have you never wanted to moonie a speed camera? Well I did.’

Wheelchair-user Mr Meekcom, of Kidderminster, said: ‘I was simply gobsmacked that I got arrested for mooning a speed camera.

‘It is something I had always wanted to do because I’d been caught by them a couple of times for silly speeds like 35mph in a 30 zone and it always bugged me.

The speed camera officer who reported Darrell Meekcom for making an ‘indecent exposure’ after he bared his bum

Police officers outside Darrell Meekcom’s address after he was reported for making an ‘indecent exposure’ at a police camera

Officers raided Mr Meekcom’s home and allegedly kicked down the garden gate before wrestling him to the ground to put him in cuffs

‘When I was given the diagnosis last month, my wife suggested drawing up a bucket list and that was one of the items on there that I’ve now crossed off at some price.’ 

Mr Meekcom, who has two girls aged 10 and eight, was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy (MSA) last month, a terminal condition which affects the nervous system.

He says the life expectancy following a diagnosis of MSA is around six years, although this varies from person to person.

Mr Meekcom added: ‘I did not resist arrest once and I felt the response was completely disproportionate in the circumstances.

Mr Meekcom shows the damage to his back door after police allegedly forced their way into his garden to arrest him

The retired university lecturer has reported the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct

‘They were all young officers, there was no senior officers involved and if I think there was the situation would have been managed must better.

‘At one point I took a photo of one officer goading me through the window, it was like they were laughing at me and knew what they were going to do.

‘I feel it was an abuse of police power and privilege.’

Mr Meekcom, who also has a bungee jump and parachuting on his bucket list. says he has reported the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

West Mercia Police have been contacted for comment.

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