Assault Claims – The Camera Never Lies!

Assaults are sadly common in the later evening, especially on alcohol fuelled nights out. So, I, like many of you, I assume, feel a great deal safer with a police presence on the streets ready to deal with any incidents that arise. But who is there to protect us when it’s the police that cause the trouble… ?

Unbelievably, this next story from the Daily Mail (source) is a real example of police brutality! Now, I am in no way having a dig at the police in general here – which is something many people like to do – but the footage on the website is as clear as it can be. According to the report, a police officer is facing jail after he assaulted an off-duty solider, and then lied under oath to cover up his wrongdoing!

Forty year old Special Constable Peter Lightfoot may have got away with it if it wasn’t for that pesky CCTV camera! The footage on the site clearly shows the officer striking 24 year old Mark Aspinall whilst rubbing his face on the concrete in the road. Take a look for yourself – the camera never lies; even if the police do!

The officer initially claimed that Mr Aspinall had been struggling violently as he and two officers arrested him after he was ejected from a nightclub for being drunk. He was even charged on two counts of assaulting a police officer in July 2008 – a conviction that was later quashed following an appeal. At the appeal, Mr Lightfoot told the court that “I did not rub his face in the tarmac there; I was holding his head down”. The CCTV shows this is a blatant lie – Last week he was convicted of perjury and found guilty of a Section 47 assault. He could now face jail, and reportedly showed no emotion as he heard the verdict.

The report details that Mr Aspinall does have a history of “drunken bust-ups”, and the other officers involved have been cleared of all wrong doing. But the footage is clear; Mr Lightfoot assaulted Mr Aspinall unnecessarily. An IPCC commissioner has stated that “in this incident Special Constable Lightfoot’s training would appear to have been replaced by red mist. His actions were violent, excessive and unjustified.” He went on to say “we are even more disappointed that he knowingly lied before a criminal court.”

If you are assaulted in an unprovoked incident of violence, it is likely you can claim for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (or CICA). In this instance, the claim could potentially be with the police –circumstance is the important factor!

It’s certainly a concerning story to hear of…