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CCTV officer off frontline duties | CCTV officer off frontline duties |
(40 minutes later) | |
A police officer shown in leaked CCTV footage punching a woman outside a nightclub has been withdrawn from public duty. | A police officer shown in leaked CCTV footage punching a woman outside a nightclub has been withdrawn from public duty. |
An investigation has begun into the incident, supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). | An investigation has begun into the incident, supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). |
South Yorkshire's Chief Constable, Meredydd Hughes, said Pc Anthony Mulhall had not been suspended. | South Yorkshire's Chief Constable, Meredydd Hughes, said Pc Anthony Mulhall had not been suspended. |
CCTV footage showed Toni Comer, 20, being forcibly restrained after being ejected from a Sheffield nightclub. | CCTV footage showed Toni Comer, 20, being forcibly restrained after being ejected from a Sheffield nightclub. |
Mr Hughes added: "The officer draws a salary from the public purse and we will make use of his expertise and talent. But I don't want him put in a position where his welfare will be put at risk because he'll be dealing with the public. | Mr Hughes added: "The officer draws a salary from the public purse and we will make use of his expertise and talent. But I don't want him put in a position where his welfare will be put at risk because he'll be dealing with the public. |
"And also I want public confidence restored. | "And also I want public confidence restored. |
"The public needs to understand that there is more to this story, a full independent investigation must take place in order that the full facts can be placed before the public." | "The public needs to understand that there is more to this story, a full independent investigation must take place in order that the full facts can be placed before the public." |
Criminal damage | Criminal damage |
A complaint of assault will now be investigated by the force, overseen by the IPCC. | A complaint of assault will now be investigated by the force, overseen by the IPCC. |
The CCTV footage, obtained by the Guardian newspaper and shown on BBC Two's Newsnight, shows Ms Comer and a police officer falling down a flight of stairs outside Sheffield's Niche nightclub. | The CCTV footage, obtained by the Guardian newspaper and shown on BBC Two's Newsnight, shows Ms Comer and a police officer falling down a flight of stairs outside Sheffield's Niche nightclub. |
Police had been called when Ms Comer vandalised a car after being thrown out of the club. | Police had been called when Ms Comer vandalised a car after being thrown out of the club. |
At the bottom of the stairs, she is restrained by officers, with the officer she fell with punching her five times. It is not clear where he punched her. | At the bottom of the stairs, she is restrained by officers, with the officer she fell with punching her five times. It is not clear where he punched her. |
Toni Comer admitted an offence of criminal damage class="" href="/1/hi/magazine/6430073.stm">What is reasonable force? | |
The footage shows Ms Comer, from Sheffield, writhing around on the ground, which she said was due to an epileptic fit. Police said she was trying to resist arrest. | The footage shows Ms Comer, from Sheffield, writhing around on the ground, which she said was due to an epileptic fit. Police said she was trying to resist arrest. |
She is later dragged to a police van with her trousers round her knees. | She is later dragged to a police van with her trousers round her knees. |
"I got quite a few cuts and bruises on my arms and my face and the back of my neck," Ms Comer told Newsnight. | "I got quite a few cuts and bruises on my arms and my face and the back of my neck," Ms Comer told Newsnight. |
"I really don't believe it. I didn't think they would actually do something like that at all." | "I really don't believe it. I didn't think they would actually do something like that at all." |
On Wednesday, at Sheffield Magistrates' Court, Ms Comer admitted criminal damage to a car, which she said happened after she was ejected from the nightclub, where she had been drinking brandy and had become aggressive. | On Wednesday, at Sheffield Magistrates' Court, Ms Comer admitted criminal damage to a car, which she said happened after she was ejected from the nightclub, where she had been drinking brandy and had become aggressive. |
'Dead arm' | 'Dead arm' |
She was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 to the vehicle's owner. | She was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 to the vehicle's owner. |
A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "It's a matter of record that the officer involved has fully accepted striking the person in the course of arresting them for an offence for which they were convicted. | A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "It's a matter of record that the officer involved has fully accepted striking the person in the course of arresting them for an offence for which they were convicted. |
"The officer maintains that he did so because the offender was assaulting him." | "The officer maintains that he did so because the offender was assaulting him." |
In a statement, Pc Mulhall said Ms Comer had tried to grab his genitals and knee, and that he had punched her to subdue her and then to "deaden her arm". | In a statement, Pc Mulhall said Ms Comer had tried to grab his genitals and knee, and that he had punched her to subdue her and then to "deaden her arm". |
Ms Comer said on Thursday that she was "very surprised by the media frenzy" over the footage. | Ms Comer said on Thursday that she was "very surprised by the media frenzy" over the footage. |
"People are quite shocked that police would do that to somebody and hope they'll get what's coming to them", she added. | "People are quite shocked that police would do that to somebody and hope they'll get what's coming to them", she added. |
Have you been involved in similar events? Are you a serving police officer? If you have a story you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: | Have you been involved in similar events? Are you a serving police officer? If you have a story you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below: |