Use of force against man during unlawful arrest – South Wales Police, February 2021

We began an investigation into the actions of an officer in February 2021 after a complaint referral was received from South Wales Police, following the arrest of a man in Cardiff in January that year. We examined allegations including whether there were legitimate grounds for arrest, and whether the force used in punching the man several times to the face while holding him in a headlock and kneeing him in the ribs was proportionate in the circumstances. It was also alleged that the officer escalated the situation unnecessarily by his use of force, and that he later provided a statement that described a different version of events to those captured on police footage. During our four-month investigation, we gathered evidence including body worn video footage of the incident and we took accounts from the man who was arrested and officers present, as well as interviewing the subject officer. When our …