Man arrested for using £100 coin to pay for fuel at Tesco Extra awarded £5,000 in damages by police

A man who was arrested for using a £100 coin to pay for his fuel at a Tesco Extra in Essex has been paid £5,000 in compensation following a legal battle.

Brett Chamberlain, 54, has received £5,000 in legal compensation from the police after he was arrested for using a £100 coin when paying for his fuel at a Tesco Extra petrol station.

The carpenter was filling up his vehicle with £60 worth of diesel in July of last year, and his payment was refused by staff who would not accept the coin.

Chamberlain was using a 2016 Trafalgar Square special edition £100 coin, which was one of only 45,000 minted.

It is classified as legal tender under the 1971 Coinage Act, but the Devon resident was arrested on suspicion of ‘making off without payment’ after the manager called authorities.

The dad-of-four was released under investigation and was sent a letter by the Devon and Cornwall police, stating that he would not be charged any further.

Mr Chamberlain then took legal action against the authorities after taking issue with the apology and was given no assurances that the incident would be wiped from his record.

He has now received a notice of £5,000 in compensation.

The 54-year-old is an avid coin collector and had a similar incident in 2014 when attempting to pay for fuel with five £20 coins.

In the UK, someone cannot be sued for a debt they wish to pay in legal tender, which in England and Wales are £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.

Though Royal Mint coins that total to any amount are legal tender throughout the UK, a shop does not always have to accept them.

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