CCTV captured the moment a Met Police officer is accused of beating a man over the head with his baton in an “unjustified” act of force.
PC Jack Wood is accused of assaulting Jake Smith during a late-night fracas in Romford, allegedly hitting him up to four times when unprovoked and leaving the 26-year-old with a deep wound on his head.
The officer, along with PC Archie Payne, 26, are then accused of attacking Scott Rooney when he came to remonstrate about his friend Mr Smith’s treatment.
The officers, both attached to Romford police station, deny assault on Mr Rooney while PC Wood has pleaded not guilty to causing actual bodily harm to Mr Smith. They argue their actions and use of force was justified, in the context of dealing with a street fight involving a number of drunk people.
In the footage, played at Hendon magistrates court during the police officers’ trial, Mr Smith is seen joining a melee close to Romford station before the alleged attack by PC Wood.
Prosecutor Nicola Shannon told the court: “It looks as if there are likely to be four strikes, two of which appear to have connected with Jake Smith’s head.
“PC Wood appears to go from the right to the left of the screen with his baton held above his head, and with an overarm motion he brings it down towards Mr Smith.
“At that stage, Mr Smith had his back towards him and was going away from the officer.”
The court heard Mr Smith and Mr Rooney had been on a night out with friends, and were leaving the World’s Inn pub at around 2am on January 5 last year when the incident happened.
They say they noticed a group who they believed were about to “jump” Mr Rooney due to an earlier disagreement in the pub, and they appealed for the officers’ help to stave off violence.
“I approached the three officers and said would they be able to escort my friend past that group because I think he is about to get jumped”, Mr Smith told the court.
He said the PCs refused to assist, telling him “he’s your mate, you help him”, and when Mr Rooney was actually attacked and he went to his aid, PC Wood then allegedly assaulted him.
When Mr Smith was later receiving paramedic treatment to his head wound, Mr Rooney remonstrated with the officers about their actions.
As he tried to take a picture of PC Wood’s shoulder number for an official complaint, he was pushed against a wall and then brought to the ground by PCs Wood and Payne, it is said.
The trial continues.
