A Yorkshire man who was arrested after posting a photo of himself holding a gun in the US is planning to sue British police, claiming he no longer feels safe in the UK. Jon Richelieu-Booth, 50, from Keighley, West Yorkshire, said he endured '13 weeks of hell' after sharing the image on LinkedIn while on holiday in Florida.
The IT consultant said he lawfully held the firearm on private land with the owner's permission. However, police visited his home after a complaint and later arrested him on August 24. The bail document cited allegations of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and stalking.
Mr Richelieu-Booth said the complainant is a contractor who owes him around £30,000. He admitted posting a photo of the contractor's home on LinkedIn but said he provided police with geolocation evidence showing the gun image was taken abroad. He was told it was 'not needed' and was arrested the next day.
The firearms and stalking allegations were dropped, but he was charged with a public order offence over a separate social media post in which he called the contractor a 'delinquent'. The case was discontinued at Bradford Magistrates' Court due to insufficient evidence.
Mr Richelieu-Booth said the ordeal has destroyed his trust in UK policing and he plans to move permanently to the US. A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson confirmed a complaint was received and a public order charge was brought but later discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service.
