Officers in violent struggle cleared

A violent and bloody struggle between an escaped mental health patient and police officers has been described in a new report from the independent police watchdog.

The ‘‘Hulk-like’’ inpatient alleged police smashed his face in with a torch, breaking his teeth. Police conceded the man had teeth broken but said this was due to a punch, when the man was thrashing around in a patrol car, smashing its windows.

An inquiry by the Independent Police Conduct Authority followed a complaint from the patient’s mother.

The patient, named only as ‘‘Mr X’’, escaped from a secure mental health ward at Auckland Hospital in October 2014.

A security guard called police at 4.30pm that day to say a ‘‘highly agitated’’ man was trying to board a ferry in downtown Auckland.

The man’s brother was with him, and warned police that Mr X, aged in his 50s, ‘‘was extremely violent and strong when in an agitated state’’.

Police eventually caught up with him in Lower Albert St, and a struggle ensued. The IPCA said he was peppersprayed and hit in the mouth as police tried to subdue him. But the pepper spray seemed to have little effect.

Police said three officers had to carry him to the car ‘‘because he was still thrashing and resisting violently’’.

An officer then climbed into the back of the car and used one knee and his body weight to restrain Mr X. He smashed a rear passenger window with his foot as the mayhem continued, the officers said.

Mr X said a policeman grabbed a torch, ‘‘raised it high above his head’’, and smashed him in the mouth.

An officer admitted punching Mr X with the side of his closed fist, but said this was in order to stun him. ‘‘The punch landed on Mr X’s face and Mr X stopped thrashing,’’ the policeman said.

The officer denied using a torch to hit him, saying he was not even sure he had been carrying a torch that day. He also denied saying he would lie about the injuries.

The IPCA said there was no evidence to support Mr X’s account that he was pepper-sprayed by three officers, and that only one of them did so.

It also concluded the policeman in the back seat was justified in throwing the punch to stop the struggle.