An Ipswich man has launched legal action against the police after his legally-purchased car was seized and kept from him for more than a year.
Ronnie Mauge is taking Essex Police to court as his Range Rover was taken by officers after a roadside arrest in 2021 when it was marked as stolen.
The 54-year-old former professional footballer believes his treatment by police was racially motivated and has spoken of his ordeal in getting his car back.
Essex Police has denied accusations of racism and said the force's involvement with the issue ended after only a few months.
Mr Mauge is best known as a footballer for his time with Plymouth Argyle, scoring the winner in the Third Division play-off final at Wembley in 1996.
He remains an ambassador for the Pilgrims, Ipswich Town's rivals for the League One title in the season just completed.
Mr Mauge, who represented Trinidad and Tobago internationally, purchased the Range Rover in Colchester in December 2020 from a couple who had recently split up.
But the car was then flagged as stolen and Mr Mauge was pulled over while driving in Ipswich on February 9, 2021.
He says he was arrested as he was allegedly driving a stolen car, with his teenage son Jamie in the vehicle at the time – something Mr Mauge said was "traumatic" for him to see.
Mr Mauge said he provided documents proving he had bought the car in good faith and was de-arrested at the scene.
However, the car was taken and it took him more than a year to get it back after a hearing before magistrates.
During this time, the Range Rover was kept in a locked-up yard and did not start when Mr Mauge was finally allowed it back.
He said: "I bought the car and agreed a price. At the time my girlfriend needed a car, so I wired the money and changed the logbook.
"When I was stopped I gave the police all the details and said it was a mistake. I had all the documents and was de-arrested, but they still took the car.
"It was back and forwards. I had to get a solicitor involved."
Despite the initial arrest happening in Suffolk, Mr Mauge is taking legal action against Essex Police as it was the force that had the car flagged as stolen.
He added: "It has had a huge effect on my mental health.
"I'm quite sure if I was white this wouldn't have happened. They had all the evidence right from the beginning that the car was mine.
"It's hard to come away from the conclusion that this was not racially motivated.
"I'm not going to let the police get away with how they have treated me and my family, and I am determined to hold them to account."
An Essex Police spokesman said the force's involvement in the matter was over by June of that year, with the dispute over the legal ownership of the car a civil matter.
The spokesman said: "Our involvement in this matter ended in June 2021, when we took no further action in regards to a number of criminal allegations relating to the vehicle in question, following a fair and thorough investigation.
"Outside of the involvement of Essex Police, a civil dispute then followed over the ownership of the vehicle, resulting in Mr Mauge’s difficulties in seeing it returned to his possession.
"It would be inappropriate to comment further if legal proceedings are underway."
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