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| Ian Tomlinson seemed deliberately obstructive, police officer tells court | Ian Tomlinson seemed deliberately obstructive, police officer tells court |
| (6 days later) | |
| A riot police officer accused of killing a member of the public walking home during the 2009 G20 protests in London struck and pushed the man because he seemed obstructive and looked at police "as if he wanted them to move him away", the officer told a court. | A riot police officer accused of killing a member of the public walking home during the 2009 G20 protests in London struck and pushed the man because he seemed obstructive and looked at police "as if he wanted them to move him away", the officer told a court. |
| PC Simon Harwood said Ian Tomlinson ignored orders from police trying to clear people from a pedestrian passageway in the City district on the evening of 1 April 2009. Asked why he struck Tomlinson on the leg with a baton before shoving him in the back, Harwood said Tomlinson's lack of co-operation appeared deliberate. | PC Simon Harwood said Ian Tomlinson ignored orders from police trying to clear people from a pedestrian passageway in the City district on the evening of 1 April 2009. Asked why he struck Tomlinson on the leg with a baton before shoving him in the back, Harwood said Tomlinson's lack of co-operation appeared deliberate. |
| He told Southwark crown court: "From where I saw him from he looked like he was not going to move and was looking at police as if he wanted them to move him away." Harwood added: "From what I believed, and still believe, he was doing it on purpose." | He told Southwark crown court: "From where I saw him from he looked like he was not going to move and was looking at police as if he wanted them to move him away." Harwood added: "From what I believed, and still believe, he was doing it on purpose." |
| Asked by Patrick Gibbs QC, for the defence, why he used the baton on the 47-year-old shortly after seeing him in the passageway by the Royal Exchange buildings, Harwood said: "To encourage him to move away from the police line. At the time I thought he was obstructing it, not allowing us to achieve our objective of getting to the junction." | Asked by Patrick Gibbs QC, for the defence, why he used the baton on the 47-year-old shortly after seeing him in the passageway by the Royal Exchange buildings, Harwood said: "To encourage him to move away from the police line. At the time I thought he was obstructing it, not allowing us to achieve our objective of getting to the junction." |
| Harwood, a member of the Metropolitan police's elite Territorial Support Group (TSG) public order unit, is accused of killing Tomlinson, who was attempting to find a way through police lines to the east London hostel where he lived following a day of widespread disorder connected to the meeting of leaders from the G20 nations. | Harwood, a member of the Metropolitan police's elite Territorial Support Group (TSG) public order unit, is accused of killing Tomlinson, who was attempting to find a way through police lines to the east London hostel where he lived following a day of widespread disorder connected to the meeting of leaders from the G20 nations. |
| The prosecution says Tomlinson's fall from the push caused fatal internal bleeding, with the effects exacerbated by his poor health due to years of alcoholism. Tomlinson, who had been drinking heavily that day, got up from the push but collapsed again minutes later, dying soon afterwards. | The prosecution says Tomlinson's fall from the push caused fatal internal bleeding, with the effects exacerbated by his poor health due to years of alcoholism. Tomlinson, who had been drinking heavily that day, got up from the push but collapsed again minutes later, dying soon afterwards. |
| Harwood was identified after video footage shot by a US man in London for business appeared on the Guardian's website several days later. It showed Tomlinson walking away from police lines, hands in pockets, when Harwood struck him. | Harwood was identified after video footage shot by a US man in London for business appeared on the Guardian's website several days later. It showed Tomlinson walking away from police lines, hands in pockets, when Harwood struck him. |
| Prosecutors allege Harwood's "blood was up" because he had failed to arrest a man seen writing graffiti on a police vehicle, after which he abandoned the van he had been designated to drive to join officers clearing a street. But Harwood said he was frightened by an angry crowd when the man escaped, wriggling out of his jacket. He said: "To me it was as if everyone was out to get me because of what I had done in trying to get the graffiti man." | Prosecutors allege Harwood's "blood was up" because he had failed to arrest a man seen writing graffiti on a police vehicle, after which he abandoned the van he had been designated to drive to join officers clearing a street. But Harwood said he was frightened by an angry crowd when the man escaped, wriggling out of his jacket. He said: "To me it was as if everyone was out to get me because of what I had done in trying to get the graffiti man." |
| He sought safety with other police, who were then ordered to clear the passageway, Harwood said. Moving behind a line of dog handlers, he first saw Tomlinson about two metres away, walking sideways and being shouted at to get back, after which he struck Tomlinson with the baton. | He sought safety with other police, who were then ordered to clear the passageway, Harwood said. Moving behind a line of dog handlers, he first saw Tomlinson about two metres away, walking sideways and being shouted at to get back, after which he struck Tomlinson with the baton. |
| Asked by Gibbs why he then pushed Tomlinson, Harwood repeated: "To encourage him to move away." While he "pushed him firmly" he did not expect Tomlinson to fall. | Asked by Gibbs why he then pushed Tomlinson, Harwood repeated: "To encourage him to move away." While he "pushed him firmly" he did not expect Tomlinson to fall. |
| He said nothing to Tomlinson throughout the incident, Harwood added. | He said nothing to Tomlinson throughout the incident, Harwood added. |
| The court heard that Harwood was interviewed by investigators from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) three times between that April and January 2010. On each occasion, the officer presented investigators with pre-written, pre-signed statements and declined to answer follow-up questions. | The court heard that Harwood was interviewed by investigators from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) three times between that April and January 2010. On each occasion, the officer presented investigators with pre-written, pre-signed statements and declined to answer follow-up questions. |
| The longest statement, from 9 July 2009, was read to the court by an IPCC investigator, Ian Tolan. In this, Harwood said he found Tomlinson's lack of co-operation was "almost inviting a physical confrontation and being moved on". | The longest statement, from 9 July 2009, was read to the court by an IPCC investigator, Ian Tolan. In this, Harwood said he found Tomlinson's lack of co-operation was "almost inviting a physical confrontation and being moved on". |
| The jury heard Harwood held his head in his hands when he saw the video of him striking and pushing Tomlinson and realised he was the officer involved. "I'm not chomping, I think it's me," Harwood said, using TSG slang for joking, according to Inspector Timothy Williams, who led Harwood's unit on the day and was his welfare officer. | The jury heard Harwood held his head in his hands when he saw the video of him striking and pushing Tomlinson and realised he was the officer involved. "I'm not chomping, I think it's me," Harwood said, using TSG slang for joking, according to Inspector Timothy Williams, who led Harwood's unit on the day and was his welfare officer. |
| Harwood was in Williams's office a week after the incident when the video was shown on TV, Williams said. He told the court: "I watched it and he said to me that he thought he was the officer concerned." Harwood "had his head in his hands" and was looking at the ground, apparently horrified. | Harwood was in Williams's office a week after the incident when the video was shown on TV, Williams said. He told the court: "I watched it and he said to me that he thought he was the officer concerned." Harwood "had his head in his hands" and was looking at the ground, apparently horrified. |
| However, Harwood's notes made no specific mention of his encounter with Tomlinson, the court also heard. Harwood recorded only that he used his baton on "a number of protesters". | However, Harwood's notes made no specific mention of his encounter with Tomlinson, the court also heard. Harwood recorded only that he used his baton on "a number of protesters". |
| Harwood, 45, from Carshalton in Surrey, denies manslaughter. The trial continues. | Harwood, 45, from Carshalton in Surrey, denies manslaughter. The trial continues. |
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