Three British cops suspended after footage emerges of one of them apparently PUNCHING shoplifter as they detain him in department store

Three police officers have been suspended after video footage emerged showing a suspected shoplifter allegedly being assaulted.

Kent Police are investigating following an allegation of assault involving its officers at a Debenhams store in Guildhall Street, Canterbury, on July 11.

The four-minute film starts with the suspect seated and then being searched. Two officers and the suspect then go out of shot momentarily before a scuffle ensues.

The two uniformed officers grapple with the young man before they are joined by a third colleague who grabs him around the throat.

As the suspect is pinned to a wall in the corner of the room, the third officer punches the man in the face twice, causing him to fall to the floor.

The clip ends with the hoodie-wearing man, who has been handcuffed, being seated and searched again by one of the officers.

A police spokesman said: 'Kent Police is investigating following an allegation of assault in Canterbury on 11 July 2013.

'We were made aware of the footage on October 21. Three police officers from East Division were suspended from duty on Thursday 24 October pending the outcome of this inquiry.'

An Independent Police Complaints Commission spokeswoman said the watchdog received a referral on October 21 but decided that it was suitable for investigation at a local level.

An IPCC spokeswoman said: 'We are not investigating this and the complaint was sent back to Kent Police.

'We sent it back on the 25 October. We decided it was suitable to be investigated locally by the police.

'By the time it had come to us Kent Police had already taken a number of steps to investigate the incident.'

A spokesman for the department store chain said: 'It would be inappropriate while an investigation is ongoing.'

Original report here

　

　

　

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