© EastnewsAngry: Clive Lindloe has made an official complaint over the way police treated his son Charlie, who was accused of throwing an apple.
When two police officers turned up on his doorstep at 11.20pm, Clive Lindoe feared the worst.
But the father of three was shocked and angry to learn the reason for the late-night visit - an allegation that his youngest son had thrown an apple at another boy.
They even threatened to arrest Charlie, 13, when his father initially refused to let them see him until the morning.
The schoolboy was then woken up and taken to the 'bullying and brutish' officers, who made him sign what is believed to have been a neighbourhood resolution agreement, used to resolve minor disputes - even though he denied hurling the apple in the first place.
Mr Lindoe, 50, has since made an official complaint to Essex Police, accusing the force of leaving his son traumatised by the heavy-handed treatment. 'We had been enjoying a lovely evening together as a family,' said Mr Lindoe, who lives with his wife Lyn, 48, and their children Charlie, James, 14, and Robyn, 16, in Great Horkesley, near Colchester.
'The boys had gone to bed and then suddenly there was a banging at the door - really hard knocks.
'When the police told me they were investigating reports of an apple being thrown I could not believe it was about such a petty issue.
