Woman's assault complaint dismissed by NI Police Ombudsman

The woman claimed assault and malpractice after she was arrested at a house party in Antrim in May, however, police body-worn cameras supported the officers’ account of the incident and the woman did not provide any evidence of her claimed injuries.

Police had been called to the house after receiving a report that a female had been injured during a disturbance.

The complainant told PONI investigators that PSNI officers had seized a knife from her handbag, without explanation, so she had begun to record them on her mobile phone. She said the knife in question had been produced during the earlier disturbance but that she had taken it away so it could not be found.

However, she claimed that when she began recording with her phone, one officer became aggressive and knocked the phone from her hand – before grabbing her by the wrists and throwing her to the ground.

She said she was then handcuffed.

The officer involved denied striking the woman or causing her any injury.

The officer added that he feared being assaulted as at one point she was holding the mobile phone within inches of his face before being arrested.

PONI investigators concluded that the woman’s handcuffs could not have been applied too tightly, as claimed, as she had told them she was able to release her hands from them.

The complainant did not provide any evidence of her injuries or witness details to PONI despite several requests from investigators.

As her assault allegations were not supported by the evidence, her complaint was closed.