How on earth could a magistrate’s court, having viewed the following CCTV footage, have possibly convicted the man on two counts of assaulting police officers and one count of public disorder? Fortunately, the conviction, which included a suspended prison sentence, 200 hours of community service and a compensation payment to the police, was quashed on appeal by Judge Phipps at the Liverpool Crown Court.
The judge remarked:
Where is this man of violence? I am shocked and appalled at the level of police violence shown here.
The judge also questioned the truthfulness of the officers’ statements, and added:
I would go as far as to say the statements contain untruths.
Lance Corporal Mark Aspinall, aged 24, who survived Iraq and Afghanistan, admitted to being drunk at the time of the incident but claimed he wasn’t causing any trouble, a claim backed up by the CCTV footage.
One of the officers concerned has had his duties restricted and another two are being investigated. Big deal. Surely they should be sacked at the very least, if not up in court for assault! And perjury!
As for the magistrates court, it defies belief. Annual eyesight tests for magistrates?
There are those who resent the prying eyes of CCTV but, in this case, it prevented a serious miscarriage of justice.