British Police sergeant and detention officer accused of 'assaulting man during questioning'

The trial has begun of two police staff accused of twisting a man's arms to make him answer questions - after he had been pepper sprayed and was complaining of chest pains.

A court was shown CCTV footage of David Healer, 40, screaming as Sergeant Stephen Harvey and civilian detention officer Michael Mount seize him by the arms. Harvey, 61, can be heard asking: 'Are you gonna talk?' as he holds Mr Healer, to which he replies: 'Yes, get off.' Mr Healer told the court: 'I was in absolute terror and agony.'

Defence barrister Steven Crossley told Teesside Magistrates' Court that Harvey had applied a 'pain stimulus' after Mr Healer slumped in the custody suite, apparently losing consciousness. Dan Cordey, for Mount, 50, says his client was simply holding Mr Healer’s arm and applying no force.

As the police officer holds Mr Healer’s left arm up behind his back, Mount can be seen grasping Mr Healer’s right arm from across a desk in Peterlee Police Station, County Durham. Again Mr Healers says: 'Yes, get off.'

After this, the video shows Harvey taking his place behind the desk and continuing to question Mr Healer.

When asked how he is feeling now, Mr Healer, who said he had suffered an angina attack while in the police van, tells the sergeant that he needs a doctor.

Mr Healer does not answer further questions, with his head and arms on the desk and Harvey says to him: 'I thought you were gonna answer my questions.'

The sergeant again takes his left arm, this time from across the desk, as Mount holds the other. Mr Healer again screams loudly as Harvey asks: 'What’s your problem?' When Mr Healer agrees to answer questions again Healer lets go and
continues to question him, while Mount also releases him.

Harvey's barrister accused Mr Healer of exaggerating the pain caused.

The officer is heard referring to putting Mr Healer in an 'arm lock' in the footage. He is also heard to say of Mr Healer: 'He makes a lot of noise. Anyone would think we were hurting him, I only had hold of his wrist.'

Mr Healer had been arrested for breach of his bail conditions.

He accepted a caution last April for assaulting one of the police officers who arrested him ahead of Harvey and Mount’s alleged assaults on March 5, 2011.

The court heard how a police officer gave Mr Healer his spray, which treats his angina, after his arrest, but Healer claims he could not use it properly because of the pepper spray and was not given any help.

Harvey, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and Mount, of Thornley, County Durham, both deny two counts of battery against Mr Healer.

Original report here




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