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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Disabled man 'treated as animal' | Disabled man 'treated as animal' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A wheelchair user has told a trial police treated him "worse than an animal" as he was arrested outside an officer's home. | A wheelchair user has told a trial police treated him "worse than an animal" as he was arrested outside an officer's home. |
| Martin James, 47, claims his arms were "wrenched" behind his back and he was "thrown" into a police van. | Martin James, 47, claims his arms were "wrenched" behind his back and he was "thrown" into a police van. |
| A row escalated while his photo was being taken for a newspaper next to a police van, he claimed was blocking a pavement near his home in Carmarthen. | A row escalated while his photo was being taken for a newspaper next to a police van, he claimed was blocking a pavement near his home in Carmarthen. |
| He denies a public order offence and assaulting a police constable. | He denies a public order offence and assaulting a police constable. |
| Mr James, who lived in a nearby street, had contacted the Carmarthen Journal to complain about the way the van was parked, close to the entrance of a private cul-de-sac in the Llangunnor area of the town. | Mr James, who lived in a nearby street, had contacted the Carmarthen Journal to complain about the way the van was parked, close to the entrance of a private cul-de-sac in the Llangunnor area of the town. |
| He told magistrates in Llanelli that during the photo-shoot on 19 May an off-duty officer approached him and shouted: "Get off my road, get off my land". | He told magistrates in Llanelli that during the photo-shoot on 19 May an off-duty officer approached him and shouted: "Get off my road, get off my land". |
| 'Brutally manhandled' | 'Brutally manhandled' |
| He claimed the row escalated and police wrenched his arm behind him, as they restrained him. | He claimed the row escalated and police wrenched his arm behind him, as they restrained him. |
| "I was screaming in pain," he said. | "I was screaming in pain," he said. |
| "They treated me worse than an animal - they just threw me into the police van onto the floor." | "They treated me worse than an animal - they just threw me into the police van onto the floor." |
| At Carmarthen police station, he claims he was "brutally manhandled" by officers. | At Carmarthen police station, he claims he was "brutally manhandled" by officers. |
| He accepted, as he tried to retrieve one of his shoes from a policeman, he "accidentally" made contact with an officer but denied assaulting him. | He accepted, as he tried to retrieve one of his shoes from a policeman, he "accidentally" made contact with an officer but denied assaulting him. |
| Prosecuting David Haines put it to Mr James that early in the confrontation he was "out of control". | Prosecuting David Haines put it to Mr James that early in the confrontation he was "out of control". |
| Mr James denied he was shouting abuse, including "paedophile" and "rapist", spitting at them and lashing out. | Mr James denied he was shouting abuse, including "paedophile" and "rapist", spitting at them and lashing out. |
| Mr Haines said: "You were given every opportunity to leave (the cul-de-sac) but you simply would not. The truth of the matter is you threatened and insulted the officers at the roadside and continued to do so at the police station." | Mr Haines said: "You were given every opportunity to leave (the cul-de-sac) but you simply would not. The truth of the matter is you threatened and insulted the officers at the roadside and continued to do so at the police station." |
| He accused Mr James of making his evidence up. | He accused Mr James of making his evidence up. |
| "You were placed carefully in that van, weren't you?" he asked. | "You were placed carefully in that van, weren't you?" he asked. |
| The court head Mr James has hydrocephalus - water on the brain - due to smallpox vaccine damage he suffered when around six months old. | The court head Mr James has hydrocephalus - water on the brain - due to smallpox vaccine damage he suffered when around six months old. |
| His carer on the day, Simon Hatch, told the court he was "disgusted" the way Mr James was treated before his arrest. | His carer on the day, Simon Hatch, told the court he was "disgusted" the way Mr James was treated before his arrest. |
| He alleged he saw an officer "lunge at him" and grab him by the throat. | He alleged he saw an officer "lunge at him" and grab him by the throat. |
| "I'm still fuming about it, it was totally out of order, he was not doing anything wrong," said Mr Hatch. | "I'm still fuming about it, it was totally out of order, he was not doing anything wrong," said Mr Hatch. |
| The van belonged to off-duty officer, Andrew Edwards, a police dog handler, who lived in the cul-de-sac. Pc Edwards was called and around the same time, a CID officer, who was passing, also stopped. | The van belonged to off-duty officer, Andrew Edwards, a police dog handler, who lived in the cul-de-sac. Pc Edwards was called and around the same time, a CID officer, who was passing, also stopped. |
| Magistrates have retired to consider their decision at the end of the trial. |