Judge lets British police thug off

Despite video evidence of brutality

A woman dragged across a police station floor before being thrown into a cell by a sergeant – who has now been cleared of assaulting her – says she believes he should never be put in charge of prisoners again.

Pamela Somerville said Sergeant Mark Andrews’ acquittal on appeal last week appeared to show there was ‘one rule for the police and another for members of the public’.

But she hoped the high-profile coverage of her ordeal would prevent similar cases happening elsewhere.

In a case highlighted by The Mail on Sunday, Sgt Andrews was captured on CCTV footage from the police station dragging Ms Somerville, 59, across the floor before throwing her in a cell.

Andrews, 37, who joined Wiltshire Police eight years ago after serving in the Army, was sentenced to six months in prison in September after being found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was cleared on appeal last week but now faces an internal disciplinary inquiry.

‘The public has a right to have every confidence in the police and I would rather leave it to them to make their own mind up about whether justice has been served,’ said Ms Somerville.

‘It’s very sad and very disappointing because I have been living a nightmare for two-and-a-half years since this happened. I just want to get on with my life. I only hope to God that Andrews is never again put in charge of a custody suite.’

The case was brought after a fellow officer, PC Rachel Webb, reported the incident to senior officers and gave evidence against Sgt Andrews. Sgt Andrews, who is married with two young children and has remained suspended from duty on full pay, spent six days in prison before being released on bail pending his appeal.

During his trial, CCTV footage was shown of the 6ft 3in policeman dragging 5ft 2in Ms Somerville, who weighs 8st, across a custody suite, throwing her head-first into a cell and leaving her unconscious and bleeding heavily from an eye gash.

But on Thursday at Oxford Crown Court, after conceding that Sgt Andrews ‘could have done things better’, appeal judge Mr Justice Bean quashed the conviction saying he was satisfied that Sgt Andrews had not deliberately meant to harm Ms Somerville.

He said her injuries ‘were probably caused by her falling to the floor after letting go of the door frame’. Sgt Andrews told the appeal that Ms Somerville was the most unpredictable prisoner he had ever come across and had been abusive. He added: ‘I don’t think I did anything wrong.’

Ms Somerville, a privately educated former market researcher, was orig­inally detained in July 2008 for failing to provide a sample for a breath test after being found asleep in her car. She denied any wrongdoing and the charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Last night Ms Somerville, who is now partially blind in her left eye and is awaiting cataract surgery, said: ‘The CCTV footage of what happens speaks for me as well as the fact there is to be an inquiry. ‘I had no idea there were CCTV cameras in police cells until I was shown the footage of what happened to me. But now the public know that too, which must be a good thing.’

Wiltshire’s Assistant Chief Constable Patrick Geenty, who had branded Sgt Andrews a disgrace to the force after his conviction, said: ‘The force has decided that it is appropriate for an independent force to hold an internal conduct hearing in early December. ‘This will examine the conduct of Sgt Andrews in respect of his dealings with Pamela Somerville throughout this incident.

'The result of that hearing will be made public and Sgt Andrews will remain suspended from duty until the hearing. He will continue to receive full pay for as long as he remains a member of the force.’

Original report here




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