Police refuse to release video of incident where woman hurt

Significant social media pressure has been raised both on and off the island after the case was raised by UK-based writer Dr Rebecca Tidy, who said that she had spoken with the 46-year-old woman involved and researched and verified her claims.

Police said that the incident outside Canvas, which happened in February, saw a man charged with assault and a woman convicted of assault on a police officer.

A group were trying to forcibly interfere with an arrest, they said. Officers were significantly outnumbered.

The woman involved, understood to have only spoken to an officer, was pushed back by an officer’s hand, and police said that she then stumbled backwards for several steps, before falling into a parked car and hitting her head. She was then tended to by other officers.

‘It is unfortunate but a necessary use of minimal force by the officer in order to protect himself, his colleagues, other members of the public and also the detained person,’ said Deputy Chief Officer Phil Breban in a statement released yesterday afternoon.

A complaint was made and investigated, but Mr Breban said this determined that there was no misconduct from the officer, a decision then upheld by the Police Complaints Commission, which viewed CCTV and body-worn footage of the incident.

Mr Breban said that the footage could not be released under Data Protection Laws, given the large number of people identifiable in the film.

He added that the video did not support the claims being made – including by some who were ‘regular critics’ of the police.

Dr Tidy claimed that the officer ‘threw’ the woman, who landed on her head and was knocked unconscious. She was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The victim, who does not want to be identified, has since seen the footage of the incident at the police station, and called for it to be released, which was picked up by many, including politicians Gavin St Pier and Heidi Soulsby.

‘The footage needs to be released to maintain public confidence as it should presumably either support or disprove the allegations made,’ said Deputy St Pier.

Deputy Soulsby said the issue was concerning and offered to make further inquiries.

Police rejected the request to release the footage and said it was unusual for the force to take the step of responding publicly to the claims made.

‘As a service, if there are circumstances we could have handled better, we acknowledge it and learn from it,’ Mr Breban said.

He admitted that the force did not always get everything right and complaints against officers had been upheld in the past, with officers even prosecuted and convicted of criminal offences while carrying out their duties.

‘This incident was not such an example. Our officers were trying to deal with an incredibly volatile situation where they were

significantly outnumbered and friends and relatives of someone being arrested were continually seeking to forcibly involve themselves and, in one case, assault officers.

‘It is deeply regrettable that the woman who was pushed stumbled and fell, but it does not mean the actions of the officer involved were excessive.

‘We would urge members of the public not to interfere with violent and volatile incidents.’