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PC seen punching man in video cleared of assault

George Herd
BBC News
Reporting fromCaernarfon Crown Court
PC Richard Williams was filmed punching a suspect with one hand as he gripped the man's neck with his other arm

A North Wales Police officer filmed punching a man repeatedly during an arrest has been cleared of assault.

A jury found PC Richard Williams, 43, not guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm and a second charge of intentional strangulation following a seven-day trial in Caernarfon.

The officer faced the allegations following an incident in May 2023 when he was called to a report of a domestic incident in Porthmadog, Gwynedd.

Mr Williams insisted the force used was necessary, telling the court how the suspect had resisted arrest and had already knocked a female colleague to the ground.

Richard Williams outside a window at court. He is looking to his right, and has short grey hair. He is wearing a black suit with a white shirt and blue tie.
PC Richard Williams, 43, has been cleared of intentional strangulation and assault

Mr Williams said he did not want to hurt Steven Clark, who was 34 at the time.

He told a jury during his defence that the nine punches to Mr Clark's head were "distraction blows" when they were both lying on the ground and he could not reach his taser or baton.

He told the court: "I had my hands around him, which naturally led to a headlock, but he continued to resist – he was pulling away from me.

"I was concerned for my safety and my colleague's safety."

The whole incident was captured on a mobile phone by a neighbour overlooking the garden on the Pensyflog estate in Porthmadog. The clip then went viral on social media.

It led to an investigation by the police watchdog body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and a decision to charge the officer.

Mr Williams was suspended by the force pending the outcome of the trial.

In a statement, the IOPC said during its investigation it reviewed footage of the arrest, as well as taking witness accounts and interviewing the officer under gross misconduct and criminal caution.

Derrick Campbell, IOPC director, said: "At the end of our investigation in November 2023, we referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service who decided to bring the charges. It was appropriate for the evidence from our investigation of force used against the man to be tested in court."

The police watchdog will now liaise with North Wales Police over any potential gross misconduct disciplinary proceedings for PC Williams.