I was wrongfully accused of being a racist when I detained a teenager in Superdrug, an incident that turned my life upside down. As a security guard, I had detained a 15-year-old who appeared to be pretending to steal, only to later face false allegations of racism. The experience has caused immense distress and made my life a living hell. Now, I’m revealing the truth about what really happened during that encounter.
A security guard has disclosed that he “went through hell” after being labeled a racist for detaining a 15-year-old Black boy in a Superdrug store, expressing concerns that his reputation may be irreparably damaged.
Jake De-Geus, 30, recounted feeling “constantly depressed” and isolating himself at home for months following the incident in March 2023. Despite the passage of time, the father of three still worries that the lingering suspicions of racism will be “hard to come back from,” acknowledging that this ordeal may hinder his ability to return to security work.
Mr. De-Geus and his colleague, Edwin Hirst, 40, were serving as civilian security staff, commonly referred to as “rangers,” when they faced accusations of unlawfully and unjustifiably tackling a teenage boy at a Superdrug store.
Mr. De-Geus, tearfully addressing the jurors, denied being racist and asserted that their actions were “justified” given that the schoolboy had refused to leave the store, pretended to steal shampoo, and then head-butted him.
This week, Mr. De-Geus and Mr. Hirst were acquitted of charges including false imprisonment and assault by beating at Portsmouth Crown Court.
Speaking from his home in Chichester, Mr. De-Geus revealed that the ordeal had left him in a “dark pit” mentally and burdened with “crippling debts” after nearly two years of lost earnings. Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful about returning to the security industry he is passionate about.
