PC punched man in head during arrest, court hears

A police officer pulled a man by the neck and repeatedly punched him in the head during an arrest, a witness has said.

PC Richard Williams, 43, denies intentional strangulation and assault causing actual bodily harm to Steven Clark in May 2023.

Tammy Humphreys lives opposite the house in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, where the lunchtime arrest took place.

In a statement read to Caernarfon Crown Court, she said she shouted out in Welsh: "I'm sure you are not meant to punch him."

Ms Humphreys saw Mr Clark being led out of a house by a male and female officer when he began making "daft noises, whining, being dramatic and trying to get people's attention".

She then described how the female police officer "stepped back, or was pushed", falling and taking Mr Clark with her.

All three were "rolling around" she said, with the female officer then holding Mr Clark's legs and the male officer, pulling him by his neck when he began to "punch him in the head".

Ms Humphreys' sister-in-law, Sarah Humphreys, who also watched the arrest from a window, described how she said at the time: "They're going to kill him."

She added that she heard the officer shout "stop resisting" and Mr Clark respond "I'm not, I'm not".

Ms Humphreys said she could see his face was swollen when Mr Clark was put in a police van head-first, after other officers had arrived to assist.

The jury also heard from a North Wales Police colleague of PC Williams who described how he later found Mr Clark "semi-conscious" in the police van.

PC Iwan Williams and another colleague had initially been called to the scene as back-up but were soon stood down.

On returning to Porthmadog police station, he looked in the police van to check on Mr Clark, who had a swollen eye, but received "no audible reply", the court heard.

He added that Mr Clark mumbled, appeared to be in pain and was semi-conscious before falling out of the cell door when opened.

PC Iwan Williams lay Mr Clark in a comfortable position and called for medical attention.

Another officer said PC Richard Williams told them he had given Mr Clark "physical strikes" because he had resisted arrest.

The trial continues.