PC facing assault and cover-up charges
A POLICE officer is accused of battering a man during an arrest then conspiring with three colleagues to cover it up.
Four Merseyside police officers appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday over the alleged plot last summer.
PC Darren McIntyre is charged with assaulting Mark Bamber – causing him actual bodily harm – in Southport in the early hours of June 19.
McIntyre is alleged to have attacked 52-yearold Mr Bamber during a callout to an address in Cherry Road, Ainsdale.
Mr Bamber was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and taken into custody, but released without charge.
McIntyre and PCs Garrie Burke, Laura Grant and Lauren Buchanan-Lloyd allegedly then conspired to pervert the course of justice.
According to the charge, they “each produced statements giving an inaccurate account of an incident involving Mark Bamber”.
McIntyre, 45, of Derwent Avenue, Southport, denied both charges.
Burke, 43, of Holmefield Grove, Maghull, denied perverting the course of justice.
Grant, 34, of Somerville Grove, Waterloo, also denied perverting the course of justice.
Buchanan-Lloyd, 24, of Kings Close, Higher Bebington, did not enter any plea.
Her lawyer, Ailsa Williamson, asked for the young officer not to be arraigned and said she would first apply to have the charges against her dismissed.
Hugh Barton, prosecuting, said the trial of McIntyre, Burke and Grant had an estimated length of seven to 10 days.
Judge Andrew Menary, QC, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, said that it will take place on
November 9.
He said BuchananLloyd’s application to dismiss would be held on May 15 and remanded all four officers on unconditional bail.
Following Mr Bamber’s release from custody, the incident was reported to the force’s Professional Standards Department.
An investigation resulted in charges being approved by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Merseyside police confirmed the charges had been brought against its officers but a spokeswoman said that no statement would be provided while court proceedings are ongoing.