A DAILY Mail reporter who was arrested in Poole after arriving at a house to collect a voting card for Gus Troobev - an anagram of the words "bogus voter" - has launched a legal battle for compensation from Dorset's Chief Constable.

Christian Gysin, 46, claims his human rights were breached and that he was falsely imprisoned for two days in April this year.

Mr Gysin, of Braundton Avenue, Sidcup, Kent, who owned up to being a journalist testing the voting system "in the public interest", is seeking damages, aggravated damages and exemplary damages from Chief Constable Martin Baker.

According to a High Court writ, the reporter was unlawfully arrested on April 20 and falsely imprisoned until April 21.

Mr Gysin, who was released on bail pending further police inquiries, is also seeking a court order compelling the chief constable to hand back items seized by police in Oakdale and claiming damages for wrongful interference with his property.

He says his action includes issues under the Human Rights Act 1998, including article 8 - the right to respect for private and family life.

The reporter hopes to win damages of between £15,000 and £50,000 if his claim is successful but gives no other details in the writ issued by Corker Binning of London WC2.

At the time of the incident, Daily Mail consultant editor John Bryant said he was surprised police had decided to arrest Mr Gysin but added: "We applaud the vigilance of Dorset police."

He recalled how the newspaper had exposed gaps in the voting system in February 2004 when it managed to place the bogus voter Gus Troobev on the electoral register in 31 marginal constituencies around the UK, including Mid Dorset and North Poole.

As a follow-up the newspaper checked to see how many of its fake voters were still registered.

Mr Bryant said: "We were surprised by the police reaction as our reporter immediately identified himself as a bona fide journalist and said he was testing how easy it was to get a postal vote.

"We consider exposing any potential fraud in the system is in the public interest."

First published: May 20