Police officer suspended after video shows man repeatedly punched in head during arrest
Incident being ‘fully investigated’ by police watchdog
A police officer has been suspended after a video emerged showing a man being repeatedly punched in the head as he was arrested, North Wales Police confirmed.
The incident happened on Wednesday during the arrest of a 34-year-old man from the Pensyflog area of Porthmadog, after officers were called to a domestic incident.
Concerned bystanders filmed the interaction and videos show the man being pinned face-down on the ground by a male and female police officer before a male officer appears to punch him nine times in the side of the head.
Just beforehand, a man is heard shouting: “Stop resisting”. In separate footage, blood is seen on the suspect’s face as he is placed in a police van.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a full investigation into the incident.
The man who was being arrested has been released on bail, North Wales Police said.
IOPC director David Ford said: “Footage on social media, capturing part of the interaction between police officers and the arrested man has, understandably, attracted significant interest and public concern.
“It is important that we thoroughly and independently investigate the whole incident, in order to establish whether the level of force used during the arrest was reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.”
North Wales Police said due to the investigation by the IOPC, they are unable to provide any further information.