Charges against greengrocer John Kapiris dropped after police pepper spray incident inside his store
A greengrocer has walked free from court after disorderly behaviour charges were dropped against him. See the video of his confrontation with police.
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A greengrocer who was pepper sprayed by police – after what he claims was a case of mistaken identity – has had his charges thrown out in court.
St Bernards Fruit and Veg Market owner John Kapiris was charged with hindering police and disorderly behaviour in March last year after police attended his business and found him in his underwear.
His arrest triggered a heated confrontation with two police officers who eventually pepper sprayed Mr Kapiris and his 15-year-old son inside his Rostrevor business.
The incident was caught on camera by onlookers.
After 12 months before the court, Mr Kapiris’ story was finally vindicated on Wednesday when police prosecution opted not to proceed with the charges against him.
He said the ordeal had “crippled” his business.
“I was arrested for basically wrongful identification,” he said.
“12 months in court lumbered with huge lawyer cost plus loss of business. We lost a lot of customers over this because they didn’t believe our story.”
Mr Kapiris has always maintained that it was a complete mix-up by police.
He said he was staging photos out the front of his St Bernards Rd shop for one of his notorious “dropped-pants specials” in which he kept his underwear on.
“I always get my (long) pants off,” he told The Advertiser last year.
“I walk around the shop for half an hour and the customers go mental – they love it.”
Mr Kapiris alleged that police arrived and asked him for his personal details but would not tell him why, and when he resisted, things turned ugly.
“It just escalated from there … within 40 seconds me and my son were pepper sprayed,” Mr Kapiris said.
“I’m a heavy asthmatic and I thought I was gone.”
SAPOL launched an internal review into the incident last year.
In a statement given to The Advertiser at the time, SAPOL said footage from officers’ body-worn cameras, as well as other footage that has been posted online, was being considered.
The statement, which did not name Mr Kapiris, said officers saw a man in his underwear and approached to question him about his behaviour.
SAPOL has been contacted for comment.
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Originally published as Charges against greengrocer John Kapiris dropped after police pepper spray incident inside his store
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