Police Officer Disputes ‘Excessive Force’ Allegation After Punching Suspect

A police officer who delivered three punches to a suspect has refuted allegations of employing excessive force, notwithstanding the apparent unconsciousness of the individual following the blows. West Yorkshire Police officer Brian Long is presently undergoing a gross misconduct hearing concerning the event that occurred in October 2022. During the hearing on Monday, it was stated that PC Long delivered a “backhander” to the suspect after being spat upon, subsequently punching him in the face three times after the suspect headbutted him. A legal representative for PC Long, who faces potential dismissal if found culpable of gross misconduct, asserted that his conduct was “reasonable and proportionate”. Ian Mullarkey, initiating the proceedings against the officer at West Yorkshire Police’s headquarters in Wakefield, noted that PC Long possessed an “apparent reputation for using force” among his fellow officers. The incident transpired on the evening of 14 October, during the apprehension of a domestic abuse suspect on suspicion of false imprisonment at an address in Knottingley. Mr Mullarkey contended that the officer exhibited an “abrasive and confrontational” demeanor towards the man throughout the arrest, suggesting his actions were not solely in self-defense as claimed. He further stated that no evidence indicated the suspect made “any aggressive movements” before his apprehension. Nevertheless, Mr Mullarkey reported that PC Long “throws him into the fireplace” before restraining him on the ground. Video from a body-worn camera presented at the hearing depicted the officer striking the man twice in the stomach while he was held down. The officer subsequently informed a colleague that he “had to give him a couple of light strikes” during the arrest. Earlier that evening, PC Long had employed offensive terminology to characterize the suspect after speaking with the complainant, referring to him as a “weapon” during his transport to custody. Following a stop of the vehicle used for transporting the suspect for a search, PC Long delivered what he termed a “backhander” to the man, who appeared to spit at him. At the custody suite, PC Long informed the suspect he was “all mouth” prior to CCTV footage showing the man headbutting the officer. The footage then displayed PC Long striking the suspect in the head three times, an action that seemingly rendered the suspect unconscious. Subsequently, PC Long was observed dragging the man by his attire into a holding area. During this dragging, the man’s head struck a door frame, and he was later transported to a hospital for medical attention for his injuries. The officer later remarked to his colleague: “He’s horrible. You want to see what he’s done to this lass.” “He’s got a little bit of his own medicine.” He further asserted that the man had “asked for it,” stating: “I’m not going to stand there and be anyone’s punchbag.” Mr Mullarkey reported that when a different colleague commented to PC Long, “I hope you chinned him twice,” the officer responded: “I did actually” and started laughing. In his defense, the officer stated he was “lucky” to remain conscious after receiving a headbutt to the jaw. He asserted that he acted “immediately and instinctively” by hitting the suspect in the face three times, explaining “as his head was the weapon he had used attacking me”. “It was just to stop a further assault on me and my colleague”. The officer, scheduled to present his defense evidence on Tuesday, stated he “didn’t recall” the man’s head striking a door frame. The proceedings are ongoing.