Damages for man punched and kicked by officers

HUMBERSIDE POLICE has paid five-figure damages to a man who was punched and kicked by officers after he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

CCTV caught the moment David Prosser, 27, fell to the ground in handcuffs before being kicked by a police sergeant.

The CCTV operator alerted the police with concerns after viewing the arrest in 2013 in Hull city centre.

When the footage was played back to the officers, the sergeant offered a full apology, admitting he had “overstepped the mark” and begging to be allowed to keep his job.

The second officer was found to have punched Mr Prosser twice and admitted using a knee strike manoeuvre.

Both were found guilty of gross misconduct and using “excessive force” at an internal disciplinary hearing. They were given final written warnings, but allowed to remain in their jobs.

But Mr Prosser, who hit his head in the fall, causing extensive bleeding and concussion, said the officers were “not fit to wear the police uniform”. He was left with his arm in a cast for six weeks, blurred vision and headaches.

He initially found himself charged with assaulting one of the two officers in the execution of his duty, as well as a public order offence, but when he made an official complaint, an investigation was launched and the CCTV footage was reviewed.

Both charges were subsequently dismissed by Hull magistrates as no evidence was offered, although Mr Prosser did admit resisting arrest.

Mr Prosser said: “I was the one initially charged with an offence, and had the CCTV not caught what happened, I wouldn’t have been able to prove what happened to me. I’d have been found guilty of assaulting them.”

Det Supt Matt Baldwin said the behaviour of the officers had fallen well below the standards expected at Humberside Police, but the evidence had not met the threshold for dismissal.

At the time they were not required to name officers in disciplinary proceedings. Now, unless there are exceptional circumstances, staff are named.

Det Supt Baldwin said given the time that had elapsed it would be unfair to name them now. He added: “Both officers continue to work with the force and have otherwise unblemished records.”