DAVID NEALE: “I design and analyse pylons for a living so have a genuine interest in them." Picture: PETER STILL

A STRUCTURAL engineer from Kent claims he was held in a police cell for 18 hours after being mistaken for a terrorist.

David Neale, who lives in Rainham, says he was driving through Cornwall when he stopped with a friend to take a picture of a pylon and suddenly found himself surrounded by armed police.

Mr Neale says he was arrested under the Terrorism Act, but, after 90 minutes sitting in a police car, the charge was dropped to conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

Police have denied his arrest had any link to the act.

The 32-year old was arrested with housemate Jay Curtis and taken to Newquay Police Station where they were questioned and left in the cells overnight before being released without charge.

Mr Neale suffers from a rare form of epilepsy and says he suffered a fit during the night.

He also says he returned home the following day to find police had raided his home and seized his computer.

The engineer had been enjoying a holiday in Cornwall with Mr Curtis when he spotted the pylons and stopped with his camera.

Mr Neale said: “I design and analyse pylons for a living so have a genuine interest in them. That’s why I stopped, but the next thing I knew six cars had pulled up and police were brandishing guns.

“They just didn’t believe it when I told them what I was doing. They were convinced I was trying to blow them up.

“I was standing in a bright red fleece and Jay was sat in the car so it wasn’t as if we were trying to be secretive. We weren’t doing anything wrong.

“There are lots of people out there interested in trains and airports. Does that mean they’ll be arrested for taking an innocent photograph?”

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed David Neale was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage on April 4, at 3.50pm.