Skip to content or view screen version

Wiltshire Police Sgt Cleared of Assault

Jumping Bean | 18.11.2010 14:22

This is what his boss said after the original trial:

In a statement before the sentencing, Wiltshire police's assistant chief constable Patrick Geenty said: "We are very concerned when anyone is injured in our custody and the court has decided that this injury was as a result of a criminal assault by Sergeant Mark Andrews, a member of Wiltshire police who was performing duty as a custody sergeant at the time.

But then:
Earlier today the police sergeant was cleared on appeal.

Another case of bias in favour of the police?

Just seen this on the BBC News Website:

A Wiltshire policeman convicted of assaulting a woman in custody has been cleared on appeal.

Sgt Mark Andrews, of Wiltshire Police, was filmed dragging Pamela Somerville through Melksham police station in July 2008.

The officer was found guilty of causing her actual bodily harm and jailed for six months in September.

Sgt Andrews spent six days in prison, but was released on bail pending the appeal at Oxford Crown Court.

The appeal judge, Mr Justice Bean, said after the four-day hearing he was satisfied that Sgt Andrews did not intend to throw Ms Somerville into the cell and that injuries she suffered were probably caused by the door frame.

She had been arrested for failing to take a breath test but was never prosecuted.

Sgt Andrews told the appeal hearing that Ms Somerville was the most unpredictable prisoner he had ever come across and that she had been abusive to both him and his colleagues.

The court was shown CCTV footage in which he is seen throwing her on to the cell floor. A minute later she staggers to her feet, with injuries to her face and eye.

Sgt Andrews told the court: "I don't think I did anything wrong.

"She had been holding on to the cell door frame when she suddenly let go.

"It was like pulling a cork out of a bottle."

Of course he is innocent. Its quite alright to throw people around while vunerable and in police care - NOT.


Jumping Bean
- Original article on IMC Bristol: http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/700112