08/03/2007

Investigation into arrest caught on CCTV

An investigation has been launched following the leaking of footage showing a woman being punched by a police officer.

The Chief Constable for South Yorkshire Meredydd Hughes said that the police officer had not been suspended but that there would be an investigation so that the "full facts could be placed before the public."

The Guardian newspaper obtained the CCTV footage which showed Toni Comer, aged 20, being ejected from a night club in Sheffield.

Police were called to the nightclub after a car was damaged outside the club.

Ms Comer was seen being dragged to a police van.

Appearing at Sheffield Magistrates court this week, Ms Comer admitted criminal damage to a vehicle. She was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 to the owner.

A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said the officer had accepted striking the person during the course of the arrest.

The police officer said that Ms Comer had attempted to grab his genitals and that he had struck her to "subdue" her.

The IPCC will oversee the investigation.

(SP/KMcA)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

05 December 2006
Community police officer remains critically ill
A police community support officer remains in a critical condition in a Greater Manchester hospital after being stabbed in the neck. Greater Manchester Police said that Gary Etchells, 47, had twice undergone surgery at Tameside General Hospital and was now back in intensive care.
17 May 2010
Police Federation Warns On Civilianisation
Police forces may soon employ more civilians than officers, new research from the Police Federation of England and Wales reveals The data, found that numbers of police staff have virtually doubled in just under a decade and the growth in their numbers has outstripped that of police officers despite assurances.
26 August 2005
Police officer's complaint rejected by IPCC
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has rejected a complaint by a Metropolitan Police officer in relation to comments made over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
14 April 2011
British Man Dies In Dubai Police Custody
A British man has died in police custody in Dubai. Lee Bradley Brown, 39, from east London, died on Tuesday after he was taken to a Dubai police station where he was allegedly assaulted and put into a cell. It has been reported that Mr Brown, was arrested over a row at the luxury hotel Burj Al Arab hotel.
06 April 2005
BNP leader charged with racial hatred offences
Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party (BNP), has been charged with four racial hatred offences, police have confirmed.