The Policeman: 'Racism' probe into officer who assaulted woman

An investigation into alleged police brutality, in which an officer punched a young black woman, is to examine whether the incident was racially motivated.

PC Anthony Mulhall said he used "brute force" to strike 19-year-old Toni Comer in the arm so she could be handcuffed during her arrest outside a nightclub in Sheffield last July. The fracas was captured on a surveillance camera and showed Ms Comer, now 20, being held down by two officers while PC Mulhall hit her five times.

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An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into the incident will examine whether the officer used excessive force and whether the incident was racially motivated. It said in a statement: "The terms of reference will include consideration of specific and wider racial issues." A spokesman stressed the race element of the inquiry was only into the specific incident.

The constable, who admitted this week that he punched the woman "as hard as I was physically able", has been moved to a job away from the public.

South Yorkshire Police defended its officer and said he was using a method to control violent suspects, adding that the force was "outraged" at the suggestion the incident might have been racially motivated.

Ms Comer, who has a two-year-old son,is attempting to sue the force. She admits she was drunk on the night of her arrest and vandalised a car after being thrown out of a nightclub.