Police officer denies hitting handcuffed man

A police custody sergeant has denied losing his temper, pulling a handcuffed man to the floor and hitting him, a misconduct hearing has been told.

Sgt Rhodri Davies of South Wales Police is accused of unnecessary, disproportionate and unreasonable force at Swansea Central police station when he "struck" Tariq Evans on 24 October 2022.

The hearing in Bridgend was told another police officer was jailed last year for assaulting Mr Evans in a police van before he was taken to the custody suite where Sgt Davies was working.

Sgt Davies denies the allegations and gross misconduct.

The hearing was told Mr Evans was handcuffed, arrested and taken to Swansea Central where Sgt Davies was the duty custody sergeant.

CCTV footage shows Sgt Davies standing behind Mr Evans in front of the custody desk.

Sgt Davies then took Mr Evans to the ground "in a dangerous manner" and "struck him on several occasions", the hearing was told.

It is alleged Sgt Davies "lost his temper" with Mr Evans then used an "unsafe technique" to bring him to his feet by pulling the handcuffs before striking him "on one or more occasions".

CCTV shows Mr Evans being taken to a cell by a group of officers where it is alleged Sgt Davies used a "dangerous restraint" by placing his hand in a "C-clamp" across the back of Mr Evans' neck.

The hearing was told Sgt Davies' use of force was unlawful.

CCTV showed Mr Evans shouting and telling people that police officers, had "beat me up" and "smashed my face".

The hearing was told that, before arriving at the police station, Mr Evans was assaulted by former PC Jack Williams, who was jailed for the assault in 2023.

It also heard from the senior officer who decided the incident with Sgt Davies should be investigated by professional standards, Insp Emma Jones.

Insp Jones said she did not believe there was a "conflict of interest" when she made that decision, despite Sgt Davies making a complaint about her several years before.

The hearing was told Sgt Davies had previously complained about Insp Jones as part of an employment tribunal, which was settled by South Wales Police.

Colin Banham, counsel for Sgt Davies, suggested to Insp Jones that she should not have made that "initial assessment", because of previous complaints made against her by Sgt Davies.

She said: "I didn't consider myself to have a conflict of interest."

Asked whether she sought to "influence matters" against Sgt Davies, she said she had "no influence" over the investigation.

The hearing continues.