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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Officer not guilty of race attack | Officer not guilty of race attack |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Metropolitan Police officer has been found not guilty of racially aggravated assault of a teenager. | A Metropolitan Police officer has been found not guilty of racially aggravated assault of a teenager. |
| Pc David Yates, 27, was accused of assaulting and racially abusing 18-year-old Mohammed Ali, in Harrow, north London. | Pc David Yates, 27, was accused of assaulting and racially abusing 18-year-old Mohammed Ali, in Harrow, north London. |
| The officer allegedly forced him into a police van and hit his head against the window in February 2005, the jury at Southwark Crown Court heard. | The officer allegedly forced him into a police van and hit his head against the window in February 2005, the jury at Southwark Crown Court heard. |
| On Wednesday, Pc Yates was cleared of the charges, which he had denied. | On Wednesday, Pc Yates was cleared of the charges, which he had denied. |
| The court heard the teenager was arrested after he swore at Pc Yates, who serves in the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group. | The court heard the teenager was arrested after he swore at Pc Yates, who serves in the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group. |
| Mohammed Ali recorded the incident on his phone | Mohammed Ali recorded the incident on his phone |
| Mr Ali, a Kurd who was born in Kuwait, had recorded parts of the incident on his mobile phone, the court was told. | |
| The prosecution told the court the officer used "no less than 20 epithets, including 15 occasions when he used the 'F' word". | The prosecution told the court the officer used "no less than 20 epithets, including 15 occasions when he used the 'F' word". |
| But Pc Yates insisted while he had behaved "unprofessionally" towards someone he regarded as an "absolute menace" to the community, he had never intended to carry out his threat and had not broken the law. | But Pc Yates insisted while he had behaved "unprofessionally" towards someone he regarded as an "absolute menace" to the community, he had never intended to carry out his threat and had not broken the law. |
| In evidence, Yates insisted Ali had goaded him, explaining: "If somebody is flippant... it sickens me." | In evidence, Yates insisted Ali had goaded him, explaining: "If somebody is flippant... it sickens me." |
| The Southwark Crown Court jury trying deliberated for four-and-a-half hours before clearing the officer of racially aggravated common assault and racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence or harassment. | The Southwark Crown Court jury trying deliberated for four-and-a-half hours before clearing the officer of racially aggravated common assault and racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence or harassment. |
| He was also found not guilty of two lesser alternative counts. | He was also found not guilty of two lesser alternative counts. |
| Pc Yates is still suspended while the Metropolitan Police Service decides if it will take any disciplinary action against the officer. | Pc Yates is still suspended while the Metropolitan Police Service decides if it will take any disciplinary action against the officer. |