Two officers from West Yorkshire Police have been withdrawn from public duties and an official investigation is under way after a police officer was filmed assaulting a man outside his home.
The incident was filmed on June 20th when Mr Chris Wilson (26), who had been drinking with friends at home in Wakefield, went outside to talk to police officers who were investigating an earlier street disturbance. As two police officers entered his house, Mr Wilson claimed yesterday he went to talk to two other officers outside, a verbal exchange followed and one of the policemen assaulted him while his colleague looked on.
An unemployed joiner with five convictions for theft, burglary and taking a vehicle without consent, Mr Wilson was held overnight in a police cell and charged with being drunk and disorderly. The charge was dropped a few days later and Mr Wilson is now planning to sue West Yorkshire Police for assault, wrongful imprisonment and malicious prosecution.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said a formal complaint had been received and was being investigated by its Discipline and Complaints Department. The Police Complaints Authority is conducting its own investigation.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, which reproduced eight still shots from the video on its front page, Mr Wilson insisted he did not threaten the officer. "He had no reason to attack me. I've never seen him before. I'd done nothing wrong and I wasn't under arrest. I wasn't resisting arrest or showing any violence."
It was Mr Wilson's neighbour, Mr Mark Goodwin (21), who captured the alleged assault on video. He later handed in the video to police.
"When it stopped I hid back from the window," Mr Goodwin said. "I was just being careful to make sure that I kept out of sight. I just kept thinking about the best thing to do."