British police officer pulled 'drunk driver' through car window by his feet

Nearly two years later and the cops are still "investigating" the incident

Police have launched an investigation into a senior officer after a motorist claimed he was dragged from his vehicle and 'beaten' in a city centre car park. Father-of-four Nick Parsons claims the chief inspector repeatedly punched him as he tried to drag him from his vehicle in Leicester.

The officer appears to reach in through the open driver's window. Mr Parsons said he then 'rained a series of blows' on him sitting inside.

Mr Parsons was charged with assault and a drink-drive offence but was eventually cleared of all charges last week - almost two years after the incident.

He is now calling for an apology and compensation from Leicestershire police who have told him they are still internally investigating it.

He said yesterday: 'The way I've been treated is disgraceful. The way this officer reacted was totally over the top and I want an apology and compensation. 'He hit me at least half a dozen times - and then I was the one who was accused of assaulting him.

'The whole thing's been dragging on for nearly two years and it's only now that the court cases against me have finished.'

The 2am incident happened in April 2011 as Mr Parson, a self-employed DJ, got into his son's Vauxhall Corsa in car park in the centre of Leicester.

As he manoeuvered it in the car park the officer appeared on foot and allegedly ordered him to turn off his engine. He then reached in for the keys - and within seconds Mr Parsons claimed he started to 'attack him'.

Mr Parsons admitted: 'I think I was a bit contemptuous of him - I thought he was acting like a jumped-up parking attendant. 'I'd had a couple of drinks. I was on medication and I was tired. But I was trying to be reasonable with him and within a flash this hand came through the window.

Mr Parsons was charged with assault and a drink-drive offence but was eventually cleared of all charges last week - almost two years after the incident

Mr Parsons was charged with assault and a drink-drive offence but was eventually cleared of all charges last week - almost two years after the incident

'All I then tried to do was to get out of the car and he started hitting me.

'I fell back and my legs ended up through the window - I just thought 'I've got to get out' but he was preventing me from opening the door. 'He hit me at least half a dozen times before I managed to get out and I tried to hit him to get him off me and then I ran.'

Mr Parsons was detained minutes later as other police raced to the scene and taken into custody. He was charged around 6pm the following evening with assaulting an officer and excess alcohol.

Magistrates cleared him of the assault but convicted him of the drink-drive charge.

He appealed against that and was formally found not guilty on a technicality at crown court in January after representing himself.

Last week Leicestershire Police told him they were still investigating the incident.

In an email dated January 23 Detective Inspector Ross Dimmock of the force's Professional Standards Department said: 'I can say that at this stage no file has been sent to the CPS as the complaint / assault investigation continues to be investigated as the matter is no longer subjudice.'

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: 'We are currently carrying out both an internal and a criminal investigation into an alleged assault which involved one of our officers in April 2011.

'As the two investigations are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

Original report here




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