Is a cop allowed to punch someone senseless to make an arrest?

Golf Alpha Nine-seven

Don't believe the hype. All you've seen is fuzzy CCTV footage presented to you by a cynical media ready to manipulate and brainwash you into believing that the Police are not to be trusted. It is all apart of the current government's agenda to create a climate of fear. If you believe this you will then believe that Labour are the only political party who can make us secure from rampant criminals and terrorists.

How do you know the Officer was using excessive force? I mean if the first punch was so strong, so hard and so painful don't you think she would have let go after the first strike? And, what if I grabbed you by the bollocks and squeezed really hard, would you just stand there until I decide to let go? I don't think so. Don't be so quick to judge. The Officer was using a Home Office approved restraint technique in order to get this little piece of pond life to let go so that he could cuff her. Clearly if it took five strikes to get her to release her grip it wasn't force enough force to make her let go after the first hit. So who was showing restraint? The media make her out to be some modern day Robin Hood but she is no angel and shown that she has a much class as school on Saturdays, ie: none!

Its about time the media praised our Coppers instead of sowing seeds of doubt and undermining the very difficult job they have to do. Police Officers put their lives on the line daily because they want to better their communities, yes they are members of the public also, and all some people can do is sit back and judge and say from the comfort of their living rooms how the police should react to violent situations. I mean what was PC Mulhall supposed to do? Stand back and let her rip his wife's best friend off!?

Mr Sceptic

The blows were delivered to the arm, not head.

The woman (grown woman, not girl) had been drinking heavily, thrown out of the nightclub for violent behaviour, was caught vandalising a car and when apprehended was extremely violent towards the officers. The officer concerned used entirely reasonable force to subdue a dangerous woman. She was uninjured as a result of this restraint.

Someone has, months later, come across the CCTV, seen it looks spectacular and spotted the pound signs in front of them.

I say thank you to our police officers who are attacked and abused by low-life scum like this woman every day while doing their duty and who exercise great restraint in dealing with them.

bibulous48

So who on earth described the girl as being punched senseless?
Yeah, like the rest of us who have been shown the film. You cannot actually see what the girl is doing at all. She MIGHT be doing something really painful to the PC.
Lets reserve judgement or leave it to the courts to settle.

Chainsaw

Were you there? Nooooooooooo

It is justified when the officer's life or safety is in jeopardy. Drug users are especially hard to subdue. The problem is there are too many armchair QB's like you second guessing situations that you have never been in

charterman

If you were on the end of a gang of yobs kicking ten bells out of you, you'd be very glad to see the boys in blue come to your rescue. And they do it without hesitation for their own safety. Be grateful they are there at all.

Margie

If she deserves it or is on PCP or something that makes her crazy, then yes.

If a cop punches someone, chances are they probably deserve it.

bicballpoint

Once a long time ago I arrested a young man for shopliting. The man ran off and when I caught him he told me he had a knife.

I wrestled him to the ground and endured ten minutes of violent rabbit punches to the back of the neck, while I was restraining him on the ground, and preventing him from reaching his knife.

Eventually help arrived and the prisoner was taken to the police station an I was taken o hopsital and fitted with a neck collar.

The point is, that I was reported for police brutality by girls working in an office block, who had no idea that the man was trying to draw his knife with one hand and break my neck with his other.

I would prefer to wait and hear both sides of the story before passing any judgement. That is what we should all do.

Bexs

It wasn't five blows to the head - it was to the arm. Let's not forget this girl was causing criminal damage to people's cars - people who have worked hard for their belongings only for some drunkard to ruin it for them?. She must have been putting up a good fight to need four police officers to bring her down. She was convicted for criminal damage by the way. I hope she isn't going to use the race card but something tells me she will - here we go again..............

overmyknee1968

no not punch senseless but if she aint listening and kicking out like a wild banshe then its time to get tough.what they got to do?stand back and be humble?should have got some big butch wpc to grab her hair an put her in the van.good job done.

chrisbowe82

I'd do the same were she breaking into my car, but then im not a copper...

paul h

of course not, Police are trained in how to restrain troublesome people.
But the police are just human beings too. with their own personal emotions and reactions. And who am i to say what really happened, except i saw the news show the video. And the whole scene looked and felt wrong.

The problem is now it will become a media controlled event.
Where the real issue should be dealt with in the proper manner between the parties and their legal reps.

The Police are easy targets for abuse when things go wrong, its not to say they are perfect, none of us are.

Each Police Officer is an individual human being, the uniform does not give them immunity.

There is Good and Bad eggs in every organisation and every walk of life. lets not this issue get out of hand, but it probably has already has it has been caught up in the media frenzied circus. And without us realising, we don't know how much control and effect the media has over us has a nation

anthony m

help the police. beat yourself up

frankturk50

Yes they are they can use reasonable force and this was blows to the shoulder which caused her no injury at all though it may now that compensation has been mentioned.

Ding Dong

As bexs said it was on the arm not head.

cassidy

Yes if they are trying to punch them sensless

coragryph

Generally, physical violence is only justified if the person is using force to attempt to escape, or where necessary to prevent the suspect from causing physical harm to others (including the arresting officers).

Hitting someone after they are in custody and under control is generally considered abuse, and subject to sanctions. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop it from being commonplace.

Pancake Man

I agree

The police would usually use their black stick thingy I guess

Im not really an expert

fivetoze

rodney king all over again...

however, if youve been sectioned under the mental health act, you can kick the **** out of hte coppers, and they cant arrest you for it...

youve been sectioned... and are not deemed to be responsible for your actions...

thecoldvoiceofreason

Should have used the truncheon - one would have done.

Jim J

No justice, no peace

Dwight N

yes look at the Rodney king incident.
They did far worse in the Rodney King incident. I would advise that this woman sues for police brutality.

It all depends on the verdict at court. They will be brought to court. If verdict is guilty, they are not.

Tattoo Ted

Bexs - you've clearly just read the officer's version of events as it is completely unclear where the officer is hitting her. Furthermore, the officer (clearly twice her size) fell down the fire escape on to her.

She was hardly resisting arrest at the time. This is crystal clear in the CCTV movie footage if you'd bother to watch it properly.

There are bad apples in every profession. This thug needs to explain himself.

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