Striking of youth in Belfast custody suite '˜justified' - Ombudsman
A detention officer was justified in striking a teenager in a Belfast custody suite, the police watchdog has found.
The Police Ombudsman investigation concluded that the civilian detention officer (CDO) used “necessary force” after being bitten on the hand.
The youth claimed he had been kicked and punched by up to five CDOs after he was brought to the custody suite in July last year.
He also alleged he had been punched on the back of the head, wrestled to the ground and strip searched, before being thrown down on a mattress causing him to spit up blood.
However, CCTV footage from the custody suite revealed no evidence of the assault or strip search, although the footage did show him struggling and resisting as the CDOs tried to restrain him. One of the CDOs also made a note in the youth’s custody record that he had struck the youth three times to stop him biting him. That incident was not captured on CCTV and the youth was not injured.
The ombudsman investigator found that the actions of the CDO were justified and proportionate in the circumstances.